Drunk driving is both illegal and negligent. Most people readily acknowledge that choosing to drive after drinking too much alcohol is unsafe and may increase the chances of a major wreck.
Unfortunately, despite that widespread awareness, many people drive drunk anyway. When they cause crashes, the people affected by the collision could have significant medical expenses, property damage losses and lost wages to address.
A drunk driver may lack the resources to adequately compensate the people affected by a collision. Their insurance coverage may be far lower than the total costs they generated. In such cases, holding a business responsible under dram shop laws may be the best option for injured people and grieving family members after fatal drunk driving crashes.
What is the dram shop statute?
Dram shop laws essentially allow people to hold businesses responsible for the conduct of inebriated patrons. Businesses licensed to serve alcohol must adhere to state law regarding the sale and service of alcohol.
The failure to do so opens the business up to liability. Dram shop lawsuits against bars, restaurants and other licensed alcohol vendors are possible in cases where employees served a patron who was already visibly intoxicated. Dram shop laws may also allow for lawsuits against businesses that choose to serve minors who are not old enough to legally purchase alcohol.
A dram shop claim can expand the compensation available to people harmed by drunk drivers. Businesses tend to have more assets, income and insurance coverage than individual motorists. Reviewing the circumstances of a recent crash can help people determine whether a dram shop lawsuit might be an option.