Ex-Minnesota State Linebacker Sues Former Gophers Quarterback Over Brain Damage Caused By Bar Fight
A former Minnesota State football player and his family recently filed a personal injury lawsuit against two men, one a former college quarterback for the Minnesota Gophers, who pleaded guilty to assaulting him. Additionally, the plaintiff intends to hold two Mankato bars responsible for serving his assaulters, who were underage at the time of the attack.
According to the personal injury lawsuit, one of the plaintiff’s assaulters, a former Gophers quarterback, mistook the victim for the bouncer of a bar he believed made inappropriate advances towards his girlfriend. In fact, the victim had only approached his attacker because he intended to wish him luck for joining the Minnesota football team.
During the attack, the victim went to the ground where he hit his head on the concrete outside a bar, after which he was kicked in the head by the other attacker named as a defendant in the lawsuit. The plaintiff claims he suffered multiple skull fractures and severe brain damage as a direct result of the attack, which he and his family claim were life-altering.
The victim spent months recovering at the Mayo Clinic in the Twin Cities before undergoing months of intense rehabilitation to help with his communication and concentration skills. The victim’s wife, children, parents, and siblings are also named as plaintiffs to the suit, claiming loss of services as a result of the serious injuries sustained in the attack.
Plaintiff Sues for Medical Bills
The plaintiff claims he sustained $1 million in medical bills, a number that is expected to increase as his treatment continues. The victim’s family has also filed claims of $50,000 each for their losses.
While holding assailants responsible via a personal injury lawsuit is nothing new, what is unique is the plaintiff’s intent to hold the two bars responsible for serving the attackers, who were underage at the time. The lawsuit claims the attackers’ intoxication was the direct and proximate cause of the fight that led to the plaintiff’s injuries.
Such a suit against the two bars that served the attackers would need to prove those parties acted negligently when they knew or should have known the individuals were underage. Furthermore, the lawsuit would have to go as far as proving these businesses knew or should have known serving underage patrons could result in harm to others.
Amery Personal Injury Lawyers
If you or a loved one was harmed in an accident, contact our office to speak to one of our Minnesota personal injury lawyers. Novitzke, Gust, Sempf, Whitley & Bergmanis serves clients throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. To contact our office in Amery you can call us at 715-268-6130 and for our office in Woodbury you can call us at 651-788-2401.