Nevada Casino To Pay $8 Million To Man Who Was Served Cleaning Agent Instead Of Beer

Barley’s Casino & Brewing Company in Henderson, Nevada served cleaning agent instead of beer to a 38-year-old man in 2018, and now a jury has awarded $8 million to the person.

According to 8newsnow.com, the verdict was filed on March 18 in Clark County District Court.

Lon Enwright suffered nerve and tissue damage after drinking chemicals used to clean beverage supply lines and beer taps then he took a legal action. He was offered the drink by a bartender while he was watching a football game on Dec. 18, 2018. He thought he was consuming a sample of Honey Blonde Ale.

After first responders arrived at Barley’s, they said that the only way to help Enwright was to dilute the chemicals -- potassium hydroxide and nonylphenol polyethylene glycol ether -- by having him drink gallons of water.

According to a press release from the law firm that represented Enwright, who is a special education teacher in Clark County, “Although Barley’s staff knew the lines were out of service for cleaning, the bartender offered Dr. Enwright the sample."

Town Center Amusements, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Station Casinos, operates Barley's. According to the plaintiff’s lawyers, Town Center Amusements denied responsibility for Enwright’s injuries until four days before the trial, so that left only the judgment amount for the jury to decide.

A statement from law firm Panish | Shea | Boyle | Ravipudi LLP said, “As a result of defendant’s negligence, Dr. Enwright has and will continue to suffer and seek treatment for lifelong internal damage, a lifelong burning sensation in his tongue, loss of taste, ulcers in the esophagus, and permanent damage to bodily tissue."

Enwright was also represented by co-counsel Andre M. Lagomarsino. Lagomarsino said on Friday that Enwright used to also work as a wine steward at Las Vegas Strip restaurants, but lost his sense of taste due to the 2018 injury at the casino, reported Fox 8. It is also said to have put Enwright at higher risk of cancer, and he claimed to have gone into convulsions after ingesting the chemicals, reported New York Daily News.

The jury decided the $8 million judgment in two hours. It is $3 million for past damages like mental and physical pain, anxiety, suffering and emotional distress, and $5 million for future damages. He was awarded the seven-figure payday for what his lawyer termed on Friday a “loss of enjoyment of life.”