Earlier this month, the Nebraska Supreme Court issued a written opinion in a premises liability case that highlights the importance of one of the key elements in almost every personal injury case. In the case, Pittman v. Rivera, the plaintiff was injured when he was struck by a car driven by a man who was very recently kicked out of the defendant’s bar. The court ultimately ruled in favor of the defendant, finding that it was not reasonably foreseeable that the at-fault driver would go on to cause an accident after being denied re-admittance to the establishment.
Pittman v. Rivera: The Facts
Rivera was kicked out of the defendant’s bar after he became aggressive with his girlfriend, an employee of the establishment. After Rivera was escorted out, a friend acted as a designated driver and took Rivera home. However, a few hours later, Rivera returned and tried to get back into the bar to speak with his girlfriend. The bar’s bouncer did not let Rivera in. Rivera then angrily got into his car, revved his engine loudly, and began driving around the bar’s parking lot in a reckless manner.
Pittman was also in the defendant’s bar that evening. At some point in the evening, Pittman stepped outside to speak with a few friends. As he stood in the bar’s parking lot, Rivera came whizzing around after making a series of U-turns and struck Pittman. As a result of the collision, Pittman suffered serious injuries and filed this lawsuit against the bar.