A man who was injured by a fellow hockey fan in a drunken fight in a rest room at a Boston Bruins game can sue the stadium owner and its security company, a judge recently ruled.

John Foley was apparently trying to defuse an argument between a friend of his and another man when the fan approached, screaming and swearing, and injured Foley.

Foley sued, claiming that if stadium security had been properly trained and staffed, it could have intervened in time to prevent his injuries. The stadium owner argued that this wasn’t true, and that it was impossible to fully guarantee everyone’s safety throughout the arena.

The judge observed that hockey is a violent sport with a history of attracting intoxicated fans, which means the stadium owner could have foreseen that there might be incidents like this one. The judge said it should be up to a jury to decide whether the stadium’s security measures were adequate under the circumstances.

In Roanoke County, Montgomery County, Blacksburg, Roanoke City, and the City of Salem, venue owners can also be liable for maintaining security.