Comments on: The Wedding Crasher: Women Sues Bride’s Brother and Hyatt for Fall at Wedding

By: Mike Spindell

Mike Spindell — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:25:38 +0000

While usually I am all too willing to stick it to corporations, in this case I think Hyatt’s greatest error was having “deep pockets.” Most large weddings I’ve attended and I come from a very large family, had either two bars going, or at least two to three bartenders. Then to as JT mentions in the article there is plenty of alcohol, like wine and champagne circulating, to make it impossible to monitor drunkenness. Also as mentioned the reticence of catering staff to interfere with the proceeding that usually become more raucous as the affair progresses. To me it is almost impossible, based on the facts presented here, to hold Hyatt liable.

As for her assumption of risk that too seems a real stretch. One doesn’t go to wedding expecting to have to be hyper alert for possible dangers posed by drunken boors. So there to me would seem to be a case to be made against James Graeber, but I’ll bet he’s doesn’t have deep pockets. Also wouldn’t the people who planned and paid for the wedding have some liability, especially because Graeber was closely known to them?

Now it gets sticky, since her boyfriend’s boss is the groom and he, his bride or their parents are in the class of those who are potentially liable. How is that working out is more interesting to me than the case. I’d love to be a fly on some of those walls. My suspicious side wonders if she and her boyfriend are still together?

Accidents happen and many times are caused by stupid people.
Given what occurred couldn’t we go further and say Graeber was guilty of a criminal assault. How far does this get taken? If I was a lawyer I could argue either version depending on whose cause I was championing, but as a potential juror I’d let Hyatt off the hook and then try to judge any facts not herein presented.

By: MASkeptic

MASkeptic — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:07:54 +0000

I think that the most risk that she could be asked to assume in this case is that maybe someone could puke on her shoes. I doubt she had reason to suspect that another guest would literally be ‘falling down drunk’ and certainly no reason to suspect that someone would grab her arm on the dance floor, spin her around, and throw her violently to the ground, an act which resulted in an injury requiring reconstructive surgery and painful physical therapy. Now certainly Hyatt didn’t hold him down and pour the alcohol down his throat but certainly they did contribute by continuing to serve an already intoxicated individual. To say that she assumed liability just by attending is to say that the bar would not be responsible for an intoxicated patron who ran over someone in the parking lot because “You came to the bar, you should have known that there would have been drunk people here, you took the risk that one of them might drive.” Certainly a greater likelihood of drunkards than most weddings I’ve attended. This is not a simple case which is precisely why it is being litigated in the first place.

By: Myles

Myles — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:13:41 +0000

There is some assumed risk on the part of the plaintiff in this case.

By: Gyges

Gyges — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:42:30 +0000

This (and a limited budget) is why the only booze at my reception was either part of the toast, or transported in via pocket flask.

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:47:06 +0000

A little different than getting hit by a drunk driver. She went to the wedding and saw people were drinking. Any reasonable person would realize there is an inherent risk being around people who are drinking, but instead of leaving, she decided to remain and accept that risk.

By: Anonymously Yours

Anonymously Yours — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:49:56 +0000

Suck it up wedding woman, she’s probably a drama queen that is pissed that she is always a brides maid and never the bride.

How can the hotel control a person who is going to get drunk at a wedding without incurring the wrath of the host? This was after all the Hyatt. It is unfortunate but drunks at weddings do happen. Get over it.