Carter v. Adams

Carter v. Adams: Bar Shooting Case

This case involved a shooting at a bar owned by Wilbar Enterprises. A customer was shot by another patron, and the injured person (Carter) sued the bar owner (Adams) for damages. The bar owner then asked his insurance company, Scottsdale, to cover any liability costs from the lawsuit.

The main dispute was whether the bar's commercial liability insurance would pay for damages related to the shooting incident. The insurance company refused to cover the costs, arguing that their policy specifically excluded coverage for "assault and battery" incidents.

The court sided with the insurance company and ruled that the bar owner's insurance policy did not have to pay for any liability arising from the shooting. The court found that the assault-and-battery exclusion in the insurance policy clearly applied to this situation, meaning the bar owner would have to handle any legal costs or damages on his own.

What this means for workers: This case highlights that workplace violence incidents may not be covered by employer insurance policies. Workers in bars, restaurants, or other businesses where confrontations might occur should be aware that their employers may have limited insurance protection for violence-related incidents, potentially affecting compensation if they're injured on the job.