Who Is Liable for a Gunshot Wound at a Shooting Range?

Shooting range gunshot wounds are legally liable by determining which party's negligence caused your injury.

It may fall on the negligent shooter, the shooting range owner, or the firearm manufacturer if they violated safety regulations or failed to enforce safety protocols. To receive compensation, negligence must be proven, unsafe conditions, defective products, or violations of safety laws.

A breach of duty of care must be established by demonstrating that the responsible party's actions caused the injury.

• The negligent shooter is primarily responsible for injuring others through careless or reckless behavior. Firearm handling errors, failure to follow range commands, pointing weapons in an unsafe direction, and shooting under the influence of drugs or alcohol all fall under this category.
• Shooting range operators may be held liable if they fail to maintain safe premises or enforce proper safety protocols. This includes inadequate supervision of shooters, inadequate training of staff, allowing dangerous conditions to persist, or violating legal safety requirements.
• Firearm manufacturers can be held responsible for gunshot wounds caused by malfunctioning weapons, design flaws, or manufacturing defects. A manufacturer is strictly liable if a gun fires unexpectedly because of defective parts or safety mechanisms.
• Range staff or instructors may be liable if they provide unsafe instruction, fail to intervene during obvious dangerous behavior, or fail to supervise shooting activities.

What immediate steps should you take after a shooting range gunshot wound?

Time is critical after suffering a gunshot wound at a shooting range, both for your health and your legal rights. The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary urges you to seek immediate medical treatment after a gunshot wound, even if it appears minor, since gunshot injuries can lead to serious complications that may not be apparent right away.

An injury sustained at a shooting range presents unique challenges, including questions about liability and multiple defendants, which is why legal representation is mandatory in order to have your rights protected. Contact The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary, and if we establish you have grounds for a case, we will arrange a professional investigation of the scene conditions, witness interviews, and ballistics experts to analyze how your injury occurred. The investigation involves documenting the scene, contacting witnesses, obtaining incident reports from the range, and preserving defective equipment. After a short period of time, surveillance footage is often automatically deleted, so evidence preservation notices must be sent as soon as possible. 

Gunshot wounds can also result in significant medical expenses, lost income, and long-term complications, requiring comprehensive legal representation.

If you suffer a gunshot wound, you should not allow the insurance company to minimize your claim or offer you an inadequate settlement. For victims of shooting range gunshot wounds in Florida, we provide immediate case evaluations and emergency legal representation at The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary.