In Pennsylvania, any individual or establishment with a liquor license can be liable through civil action if they serve someone who is clearly drunk and that person causes an accident. This rule, known as the Dram Shop Law, can apply in many situations.
If you have suffered an injury due to the actions of a drunk person, it is important to explore all your legal options for accountability. You may be able to hold the barkeeper who supplied that alcohol responsible for your losses.
These cases can lead to compensation to aid your recovery, but they are also complex. Call a seasoned liquor license liability attorney for legal assistance with a dram shop case against a bartender in Media.
Establishments or individuals licensed to serve liquor, including restaurant and bar owners and bartenders who provide the drinks, fall within the scope of local dram shop law. However, social hosts usually do not.
Bartenders are often the first line of defense against alcohol-related incidents. They are trained to recognize the signs of intoxication and to make responsible decisions when serving alcohol.
However, when bartenders ignore these signs or choose to serve alcohol to someone who is clearly intoxicated or underage, they can be held directly accountable for the consequences. Even in cases where the patron may not appear visibly intoxicated at first, continued service that leads to severe intoxication can still result in liability.
Bartenders must be vigilant and cease service if it becomes clear that a patron is consuming too much alcohol. Some signs of intoxication that a bartender should be trained to recognize include the following:
Intoxication is not based on how much the person consumes; instead, it is their actual tolerance level and visible drunkenness. However, if the barkeep served alcohol to a person under the age of 21, then there is no requirement to prove visible inebriation. A Media lawyer could determine which factors are essential to winning a dram shop case against a bartender.
If the employee who provided alcohol to the person who caused an accident had no reasonable grounds to think that they were intoxicated, a dram shop claim would be unsuccessful. The injured party must be able to prove that the perpetrator of the crash was clearly drunk, yet the bartender still served them.
When possible, the plaintiff should collect evidence at the accident scene, such as photos and witness contact information. Their attorney could take the lead on gathering eyewitness testimony from the site of alcohol consumption, security camera footage, and finding anything that could be helpful on the defendant’s social media.
In some cases, expert testimony may be used to establish the standard bartenders must follow, the perpetrator’s level of intoxication, and its effects on the individual’s behavior.
A legal professional in Media could thoroughly investigate a dram shop case involving a bartender, gather evidence, and build a solid strategy to hold the responsible parties accountable.
Winning a dram shop claim against a bartender in Media can significantly improve your total compensation. Do not let the financial burden of medical bills, lost wages, and emotional distress overwhelm you. These laws exist to protect injured parties just like you.
It is imperative that you contact a hardworking personal injury attorney quickly so you do not miss any mandatory deadlines. Call Dan Doyle Law Group today for advice and to get started.
Free case consultation