Nevada casino to pay $8M for serving chemicals, not beer

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A jury in Las Vegas has awarded $8 million to a middle school special education teacher who sued after being permanently injured when he was served cleaning solvents instead of tap beer at a casino bar.

Lon Enwright, 38, used to also work as a wine steward at Las Vegas Strip restaurants but lost his sense of taste due to the December 2018 injury at a Barley’s Casino & Brewing Co. in Henderson, his attorney, Andre Lagomarsino, said Friday.

Enwright, a Ph.D., continues to teach and coach basketball, but has stomach and esophageal ulcers and is at increased of risk of cancer, Lagomarsino said. The attorney characterized the jury award as compensation for “the loss of enjoyment of life.”

A spokesman for Station Casinos, corporate parent of Barley’s, did not immediately respond to messages about the verdict that was reached March 18 in Clark County District Court.

Enwright’s attorneys, including Rahul Ravipudi, said Barley’s admitted liability and offered $300,000 in damages before trial.

Enwright's negligence lawsuit said he was sickened and experienced convulsions after he asked for a sample of Honey Blonde ale on tap and was served caustic chemicals commonly used to clean beer taps and lines.

His lawyers said bar employees knew the beer lines were out of service for cleaning.