Dram Shop

43 states, including Texas, have laws that impose a duty on bars and restaurants not to serve intoxicated patrons alcohol, and if they do, then the statute provides a means for injured individuals to sue the liquor licensee for their own negligence. The law is very good for a lot of reasons.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the reasons why dram shop laws are so prevalent, you may be wondering, “why should the bar be liable for the actions of their patrons? That is not fair?” Well, let me ask you this: is it fair that the injured party will likely not have enough money from the drunk driver’s insurance policy to cover their medical expenses, but the bar that took the drunk driver’s money and continued to serve him or her to the point of and passed the point of intoxication gets off Scot-free? Who was in a better position to protect themselves from such liability? Why should an injured victim be unable to hold a bar accountable for over-serving a drunk patron who’s inhibitions are lowered to a point where they can no longer make good decisions and competently drive home?

Serving Alcohol is a Privilege; Not a Right

Drunk driving is a problem across the United States. According to the national highway traffic safety administration, in 2014 approximately 9,967 people lost their lives in drunk driving related accidents across the country. That accounts for nearly 31% of all traffic fatalities.

In our office, we have both experienced personal injury attorneys and experienced DWI attorneys. We see DWI client after DWI client that comes through the door that received a DWI after leaving a bar where they became obviously intoxicated and the bar or restaurant let them go out into the public knowing that they presented a danger to themselves and others.

This is a huge problem here in North Texas. Just look at recent news stories from the last few months. We have countless late night fatality accidents involving allegedly drunk drivers, and some of them were either leaving a bar or restaurant where they had been served alcohol to the point of intoxication. Alcohol related accidents are not just a new phenomenon, in fact we are closing in on 30 years of dram shop liability in Texas for bars, restaurants and others who are licensed to serve alcohol in the state of Texas.

Articles Posted in Dram Shop

The Texas Dram Shop Act: Civil Liability of Serving Alcoholic Beverages to Drunk Patrons

Drunk Driving and Dram Shop Laws in Texas