Lounges, bars. nightclubs, resorts, hotels and other lodging facilities offer unique security exposure. Litigation stemming from security related incidents at these facilities is common. Excessive force used by security personnel in lounges is one typical cause of action. Another is failure to provide adequate security to customers. However, in cases involving hotels, motels and other lodging facilities, the foundation for the action usually concerns allegations of deficient physical security, lighting, access control and locking devices.

While Mr. Schmedlen is experienced in setting up and managing security, as well as consulting in both lounge and lodging environments, he has not otherwise conducted independent security surveys or risk analyses, since these small businesses seldom contract for such projects.

While there are no security standards, per se, which apply in these situations--other than physical security/lighting standards--this is an area where countermeasures should be reasonable for the environment taking into account community standards and historical events. Additional short-term countermeasures or procedures may be necessary when there is a specific known risk.

Often in lawsuits involving lounges, pubs and bars, Dram Shop Acts play a part in the litigation. Mr. Schmedlen's area of expertise does not include this related specialty.

Please scroll down to view security expert witness lounge, hotel, restaurant and resort case titles.

SECURITY EXPERT WITNESS LITIGATION CASE HISTORY
LOUNGE, HOTEL, RESTAURANT AND RESORT

Larry J. Rogers v
Bargas, Holland Hospitality, Inc. d/b/a Holiday Inn
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for plaintiff
Ottawa County, Michigan

Lombard Insurance Company as Subrogee of Canaska Investments/Canaska Racing, Ltd v
Historic Hotel Partners of Detroit d/b/a River Place Inn
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for defense
Wayne County, Michigan

Gregory D. Eickhoff, Jr. v
D.T.T. (Granada Bar) and Robert F. Henley
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for plaintiff
Delta County, Michigan

Richard W. Eva & Sophia Maria Eva v
Cedar Lodge, Inc. & Howard Johnson International Inc., et al
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for defense
Ingham County, Michigan

Cleveland Hickmon, et al v
Stone City et al
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for defense
Will County, Illinois

Dan Hutchinson v
Black Squirrel Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a The Black Squirrel
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for defense
St. Joseph County, Michigan

Barakat v
HPI Illinois (Ramada Inn O'Hare)
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for defense
Cook County, Illinois

Ward v
Platinum Sports
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for plaintiff
Wayne County, Michigan

Kim & Ronald Holbrook v
300 Bowl Lounge, Inc.
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for defense
Oakland County, Michigan

Brian Bultema v
Crystal Mountain, et al
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for defense
United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan

City of Dearborn v
Silver Criket
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for defense
City of Dearborn, Michigan

Susan Clare and Donald Berry v
Ernie's Lounge, Kings Mill Inn, et al
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for plaintiff
Macomb County, Michigan

Judith Stewart v
Red Lion Hotel Salem, et al.
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for defense
Multnomah County, Oregon

Jeffrey Maeser v
Windsor Street Grill (not yet in litigation)
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for plaintiff
Dane County, Wisconsin

Kozlowski v
The Foundation Group et, al
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for plaintiff
Cook County, Illinois

Robinson, et al. v
Restaurant Holdings, LLC d/b/a Brix Downtown, et al.
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for plaintiff
District Court City and County of Denver, Colorado

Christopher Orozco v
Mormax, Inc. d/b/a Marley's
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for plaintiff
Columbia County, Wisconsin

Josh Redman v
Cloud 9, et al.
Lounge, hotel, restaurant security expert witness for defense
King County, Washington

An attachment to Mr. Schmedlen's curriculum vitae identifies the clients in each of these matters and contains a recap of each of the cases.

Questions on this subject? Write Roger H. Schmedlen, CPP, CFE, CII, MIPI

Lounge, Bar, Restaurant Hotel, Motel, Resort Security Expert Witness travel time is capped as follows on litigation cases:
3 hours round trip: Illinois (Northeast Illinois including Chicago IL), Indiana (North of Muncie IN), Michigan (All of Michigan except MI Upper Peninsula), Ohio (Columbus OH and Northern OH)
4 hours round trip: Delaware (All of DE), District of Columbia (Metropolitan Washington DC area), Florida (Orlando FL south including Florida keys), Illinois (All of IL except, Northeast Illinois, Chicago IL), Indiana (South of Muncie IN), Iowa (All of IA east of Council Bluffs IA), Kansas (Eastern KS area including Kansas City KS), Kentucky (All of KY), Maryland (All of MD), Michigan (Central and Eastern Upper Peninsula, MI), Minnesota (East of Detroit Lakes MN), Missouri (All of MO), New Jersey (All of NJ), New York (All of NY including NYC), North Carolina (West of Raleigh Durham NC metro area), Ohio (Southern OH, south of Columbus OH), Oregon (Coastal OR areas including Portland OR), Pennsylvania (All of PA), South Carolina (Greenville SC Spartanburg SC area), Tennessee (All of TN), Virginia (Western VA west of Richmond VA), Washington (Coastal WA cities), West Virginia (All of WV), Wisconsin (All of WI)
5 hours round trip: Alabama (All of AL), Arkansas (All of AK), Arizona (Southern half of AZ south of Prescott AZ to Nogales AZ and including the Phoenix AZ and Tucson AZ areas), Arizona (Northwest AZ including Lake Mead, AZ and Las Vegas, NV areas), California (Western CA coastal cities regions and Southern California including Los Angeles CA, Orange County CA and northwestern regions such as San Francisco CA), Colorado (Boulder CA and Denver CA areas), Connecticut (All of CT), Florida (North of Orlando FL metro area, Florida Panhandle and of of FL in Central Time Zone), Georgia (All of GA including Atlanta GA), Iowa (All of IA west of Council Bluffs IA), Kansas (Most of KS west of Kansas City KS), Louisiana (All of LA), Maine (All of ME), Massachusetts (All of MA), Michigan (Western Upper Peninsula MI), Minnesota (West of Detroit Lakes MN), Mississippi (All of MS), Nebraska (All of NE east of CO), Nevada (Extreme southern NV including Las Vegas NV region), New Hampshire (All of NH), North Carolina (Raleigh Durham NC east), North Dakota (East of Minot ND), Oklahoma (All of OK), Rhode Island (All off RI), South Carolina (All of SC except the Greenville SC Spartanburg SC area), South Dakota (East of Rapid City SD), Texas (Northeast TX including Dallas Fort Worth TX), Vermont (All of VT), Virginia (Eastern VA including Richmond VA)
6 hours round trip: Arizona (Northern half of AZ), California (Eastern CA north of Death Valley CA area), Colorado (All of CO except for Boulder CA and Denver CA areas), Idaho (All of ID), Montana (All of MT), Nebraska (Western NE), Nevada (All of NV except extreme south Las Vegas NV region), New Mexico (All of NM), North Dakota (Minot ND and west), Oregon (Eastern 3/4 of OR), South Dakota (Rapid City SD and west), Texas (Northeast TX including Dallas Fort Worth TX), Utah (All of UT), Washington (All of WA except coastal WA cities), Wyoming (All of WY)
Negotiable: Alaska, American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands

LOUNGE & HOTEL SECURITY EXPERT SECURITY EXPERT WITNESS

LOUNGE & HOTEL SECURITY EXPERT
SECURITY EXPERT WITNESS