Dram Shop Liability Attorney in Philadelphia
Your Right to Safety
When people choose to drink and drive, it is conduct that goes well beyond mere negligence.
It is criminal conduct that demonstrates a conscious disregard and reckless indifference to the health, safety, and well-being of others on the roadway.
Sources of Potential Compensation
While the drunk driver will be held responsible for the injuries he has caused, the available insurance coverage may be woefully insufficient if the victim has been severely injured or even killed. If the drunk driver doesn’t have any insurance or enough insurance to fully compensate you for your losses, we can pursue underinsured and uninsured claims under your own policy of automobile insurance. Perhaps more importantly, if the driver got drunk at a bar or restaurant before the car crash, there may be a cause of action to pursue against the establishment under Pennsylvania’s dram shop laws.
Holding Bars and Restaurants Accountable for Serving Drunk Patrons
In Pennsylvania, it is unlawful for a liquor licensee to serve alcoholic beverages to “visibly intoxicated” patrons or minors. This is known as dram shop liability. Dram shop liability imposes a duty of responsibility on bars and restaurants to refrain from serving alcoholic beverages to people they either know or should know are visibly intoxicated or to minors.
Establishments licensed to serve alcohol must cease to serve any alcohol to patrons at the first behavioral sign of intoxication and also refuse to serve patrons who come into an establishment already drunk. The safe and responsible service of alcohol should be a priority, policy, and practice of all bars and restaurants. Bartenders and servers should be trained to spot red flags signaling a patron has had too much to drink, such as fighting, cursing, head-bobbing, unruly, combative or obnoxious behavior, staggering gait, stumbling or uneven balance, slurred speech, glassy eyes and other similar behavioral signs of intoxication.
When bars or restaurants serve alcohol irresponsibly and illegally to visibly drunk patrons or minors, they shouldn’t escape liability or accountability for their own misconduct by simply pointing at the drunk driver as the culprit. When such tragedy strikes, of course the drunk driver must be held responsible for his crimes, but it only makes sense that the bar or restaurant that irresponsibly served alcoholic drinks to the drunk driver causing the car crash should also bear responsibility.
Your Attorney
Mr. Privitera is the founder of The Privitera Law Firm LLC and concentrates his practice on the representation of catastrophically injured victims.
Mr. Privitera has been repeatedly recognized throughout the legal community for his skill and expertise, work ethic, preparation and dedication to his clients in personal injury and wrongful death matters. Mr. Privitera has earned the respect of the legal community, has extensive experience, a sterling reputation for handling significant personal injury and wrongful death cases and proven track record of success and outstanding results.