Dram Shop and Liquor Liability In 2017, Jenna Burleigh, a student at Temple University, met former student Joshua Hupperterz at the bar Pub Webb. The two had drinks, both became intoxicated. Later that night, at Joshua’s nearby apartment, he strangled and killed Jenna.
After Joshua was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2019, Jenna’s parents sued Pub Webb for violating the Dram Shop and Liquor Liability Law and acting as a substantial factor in her death by over-serving them after they were obviously intoxicated.
If you have questions regarding the Dram Shop and Liquor Liability Law, the Philadelphia dram shop and liquor liability attorneys at Dan Doyle Law Group are here to explain the law and determine valid claims.
In the civil lawsuit filed by Jenna Burleigh’s parents, they allege the employees of Pub Webb are negligent for serving Burleigh and Hupperterz “excessive and unlawful amounts of alcohol.”
In Pennsylvania, adults are considered legally impaired and incapable of operating a motor vehicle if their Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) is .08 or above. In a post-mortem toxicology report on Burleigh, her BAC was .283, well above the impaired level. It has also been documented that Hupperterz showed “obvious signs of visible intoxication” while at Pub Webb.
The lawsuit cites violations of the Dram Shop and Liquor Liability Law by Pub Webb. This law can hold a business or person liable if they sell alcohol to someone visibly intoxicated and that intoxicated person goes on to injure someone else.
The lawsuit alleges the actions of Pub Webb employees were a “substantial factor in causing Jenna Nicole Burleigh’s fatal injuries.”
At a press conference, Jacqueline Burleigh stated, “We really want to protect our children, and our children aren’t being protected right now as these bars continue to serve them and not be mindful of the fact that, we as a people, need to take care of each other.”
The lawsuit also alleges Hupperterz sold marijuana to the bar’s management and staff which facilitated the relationship that allowed employees to serve him alcohol while he was obviously intoxicated.
Burleigh parents are also suing Hupperterz for a list of charges, including:
Jenna’s body was later found in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, where Hupperterz transported and disposed of it. It was her first week of classes at Temple.
This is a special and tragic case, but violations of Pennsylvania’s Dram Shop and Liquor Liability Law happen all too often and result in injuries and fatalities, most frequently from drinking and driving after alcohol is sold to someone who is visibly intoxicated.
Under these conditions, it takes legal expertise to prove liability. We have decades of successful experience handling Philadelphia’s most complex cases. If you or a loved one has suffered due to dram shop liability, contact the Philadelphia dram shop and liquor liability attorneys at Dan Doyle Law Group for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or calling 215-987-3730.
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