Attorney Brian Cunha Secures $325,000 Settlement for Victim in 2010 Teamworks Brawl

FALL RIVER, Mass., Nov. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The final legal chapter has been written in the case of a Fall River resident stabbed at Teamworks in Somerset three years ago.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131104/NE10038 )

(This is reported in the Herald News of Nov.4 http://www.heraldnews.com/newsnow/x529847222/-325K-settlement-in-flag-football-stabbing and also appears on BostonHerald.com -  http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2013/11/somerset_flag_football_stabbing_lawsuit_settled.)

James Hilario of Fall River was stabbed in June 2010 at Teamworks when a fight broke out between two flag football teams from Fall River and Taunton. It was eight minutes before the end of the game that the 20-person brawl began.

Justin Farland, a member of the Taunton Terror team, came off the sidelines and stabbed Hilario and Steve Rocha both of Fall River. Both Hilario and Rocha were hospitalized. The teams competed at the 50,000 square-foot facility in Somerset designed for various indoor sports.

Hilario subsequently retained Fall River attorney Brian Cunha, who brought a lawsuit in Superior Court against Teamworks. Cunha announced last week that a settlement had been reached on the eve of trial for $325,000. 

"The lawsuit alleged Teamworks was negligent for allowing the attack to take place as the Taunton team members had made a series of violent threats against the Fall River Beavers' team members who had communicated this to the management of Teamworks," Cunha noted.

"Unbeknownst to plaintiff James Hilario or his teammates, members of the Taunton Terrors had also made additional threats against the referees and players on other teams, who had also warned the management at Teamworks about these threats. Despite these developments, Teamworks took no action against the Taunton team or its members," Cunha said.

"The legal complaint was based on the theory that a landowner owes a reasonable duty of care to guard against the wrongful and even criminal acts of third parties, which are foreseeable," Cunha added.

"We are relieved that James has made a speedy recovery," Cunha said, adding:  "this case should serve to remind business owners that they have a legal duty to their patrons to provide proper security measures and policies at their properties."

In April 2011 the Herald News reported that Justin Farland received a five- to six-year prison sentence after a Superior Court jury found him guilty of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon — causing substantial injury.

Contact Attorney Brian Cunha at 508-675-9500.  

SOURCE Attorney Brian Cunha