A Life Unjustly Lost and the Uphill Battle

What started out as a night out at a New Orleans nightclub shattered a family forever. Our clients, a mother and father, endured the unimaginable: losing their adult son. He was tragically punched and killed by a bouncer, a senseless act that stole their bright, beloved son, a passionate fly-fishing guide who had touched countless lives around the world.

After being asked to leave, their son was escorted through an employee entrance onto a side street. There, surrounded by bouncers, he was brutally struck by an individual in plain clothes. He fell, hit his head on the pavement, and died five days later. The attacker fled, only to be arrested later. While the bar admitted the assailant was a former employee, they shockingly denied any responsibility for his actions that night, leaving a family devastated and desperate for justice.

For the grieving parents, this was more than an accident; it was a profound failure of accountability.

Strategic Pressure, Swift Justice

When a business, especially a bar, fails to provide a safe environment for its customers, and that failure leads to tragedy, many firms might shy away from such a complex case. But we saw a clear pattern of negligence. This was a devastating consequence of a business choosing to “skim on safety to save money.”

The bar in this tragic case knew their former bouncer was a dangerous individual, yet they knowingly allowed him to participate in removing a customer. They watched him punch a defenseless victim and, to make matters worse, brought the attacker back inside the bar, even telling police they didn’t know who he was. This blatant disregard for safety and truth demanded an immediate and forceful response.

Aaron Broussard took on this heartbreaking case, driven by a deep sense of empathy for the grieving parents and an unwavering focus on holding the negligent parties accountable. He understood that success hinged on applying precise pressure points to the insurance company. Aaron quickly identified two critical elements: first, establishing the undeniable risk that the bar would be held responsible; and second, demonstrating that the potential damages far exceeded the available insurance coverage.

The result was swift and decisive: the insurance company paid the entire insurance policy limits of $1 million. This immediate resolution, achieved quickly and precisely, meant the grieving parents received critical compensation without enduring years of protracted legal battles. This was swift justice delivered through strategic pressure.

“After the initial conversation, I felt Aaron was a good fit. He was very informative and made me feel at ease. This was a very difficult and emotional time, and he showed great patience and compassion.”

Broussard Knoll Law Firm Client

“This is one of those cases that will stay with me forever. I went to this boy’s childhood home in South Carolina. I wanted to see who he really was and where he was from. I wanted to meet his friends and be connected with who he really was. He has so much to offer this world and it is terrible that he died in such a senseless manner, all because a bouncer wanted to act tough.” 

Aaron Broussard
Partner & Trial Lawyer