Drunk Driver Kills Newlywed Bride
On April 28, 2023, a drunk driver stuck a golf cart at high speed. The crash killed a bride and seriously injured the groom on their wedding day. Another passenger in the golf cart was also seriously injured. The details prove this whole tragedy could have been avoided, but for the negligence of several parties involved.
Drunk Driver
The drunk driver was traveling 65mph in a 25mph zone at the time of the crash. At the crash scene, the driver refused a sobriety test and told police they had only had one beer and some pineapple tequila. However, a toxicology report revealed a blood-alcohol level of .261%, well over 3x the legal limit.
Yet, the driver has no real memory of what happened. At the scene, they told police that something hit them as they were driving home. Additionally, the driver stated they ‘did nothing wrong.’
Dram Shop Liability
A lawsuit brought by the surviving groom and his attorney names the driver and several bars as defendants. An investigation retracing the drunk driver’s stops before the crash found the driver had visited several bars. Additionally, the drunk driver was served large amounts of alcohol at each stop. Because the bars served alcohol to a visibly drunk customer, dram shop laws allow those injured, and surviving loved ones, to seek compensation from the bars that overserved this drunk driver.
Why Are Bars Responsible?
We get it, people go to the bar to drink and be social. A bar is a business, and the business is to sell alcohol. However, when a bar serves too much alcohol to a customer it creates a danger for the community. Bars have a responsibility to cut off customers before they become drunk. Dram shop laws help hold bars and restaurants accountable for their role in putting drunk drivers on the road.
Dram Shop And Social Host Liability
Different states have different laws regarding dram shop and social host liability. Pennsylvania and New Jersey have dram shop laws that hold bars accountable for harm caused by drunk drivers. Pennsylvania has social host liability laws to hold party hosts liable for underage drunk drivers. New Jersey has social host laws covering guests of legal drinking age. Maryland has no dram shop or social host liability laws.
Learn more about Dram Shop Lawsuits
When To Contact An Attorney
If you are ever involved in a crash with a drunk driver, contact an attorney for help. It may be possible to include any bar or restaurant in your claim if it overserved the driver before the crash. A dram shop claim is about holding negligent bars and restaurants responsible for their role and the harm they caused you. You could collect some extra money AND punish the bar that put its bottom line over your health and safety.
Dram Shop Lawsuit Attorney
If you have been involved in a crash with a drunk driver, step forward and talk to an attorney about your options. At Haggerty Silverman & Justice, we help injured people. A claim can help you get the money you need and deserve. Dram shop claims also serve as financial punishment to prevent bars and restaurants from overserving customers that might hurt themselves or others.
Contact Haggerty Silverman & Justice for a free consultation with a dram shop injury or wrongful death attorney. We are here to help you get the best result possible.