White Castle customer claims injuries in early morning brawl

A patron of White Castle blames the restaurant for severe injuries he claims he incurred after attempting to break up a fight between three men, one of whom carried brass knuckles.

Marlon Lang filed a lawsuit Feb. 5 in Madison County Circuit Court against White Castle System and Michael H. Major doing business as Wild Country.

Lang claims he visited White Castle in Collinsville on Oct. 25 when he noticed another patron, Michael Logsdon, being physically battered by some men, one of whom had brass knuckles in his pocket.

"That plaintiff Marlon Lang attempted to break up the fight between one or more of three unknown persons on said premises and was in turn battered himself," the suit states.

Before the incident, the three men had consumed alcoholic beverages at Wild Country and proved intoxicated at the time of the attack, the complaint says.

Because of his attempt to break up the fight, Lang claim he sustained severe pain, injuries and suffering and incurred medical costs.

He blames White Castle for his injuries, saying the restaurant negligently failed to provide adequate security, failed to close the inner lobby and limit access to only the drive-thru during the early morning hours, failed to properly train employees to avoid escalation of potential criminal activity, failed to train employees to take proper post-criminal action and failed to provide a warning to Lang to protect him from harm.

In his three-count suit, Lang seeks a judgment of more than $150,000, plus costs and other relief the court deems just.

Peter J. Maag of Maag Law Firm in Breese will be representing him.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-131.