The Stanley Law Group Represents Family of Victim Hit by Drunk Driver in Dram Shop (Alcohol Liability) Case
You probably know about the dangers of drunk driving, but chances are, this is the first time you are hearing the expression “dram shop.” Dram shop is an old-fashioned term for a place that sells alcohol to be consumed on the premises, in other words, a bar, nightclub, or restaurant with a liquor license. A dram is a unit of measurement, about equal to the amount of liquor in a gin and tonic, cosmopolitan, or other mixed drink. Dram shop liability laws make it possible for people injured in car accidents with drunk drivers to sue the bar where the person drank before driving. The rationale is that it is the bar’s responsibility not to let people drive drunk; if a customer is obviously drunk, it is the responsibility of the bartender (or the server in a restaurant with table service) not to continue serving alcohol to the customer. Dram shop laws follow the doctrine of premises liability, which says that it is the responsibility of the owner of a commercial property to prevent hazardous conditions on his or her property. The South Carolina car accident lawyers of the Stanley Law Group are currently representing the family of a woman killed in a drunk driving accident in a dram shop lawsuit against the establishments that served alcohol to the man who caused the accident.
The Stanley Law Group Represents the Family of Deceased Victim in Lawsuit Against Three Columbia Bars
A local mother of two young adult sons was only 44 when she was killed in a car accident. She was driving to work on Highway 321 near Lexington Industrial Park in the early morning hours of February 5, 2016, when a car traveling in the wrong direction struck her vehicle head on. The young mother was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver who caused the accident was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital and then arrested. He was charged with felony DUI and remorsefully admitted to driving drunk.
Represented by The Stanley Law Group and the Starkes Law Firm, the sons of the decedent filed a wrongful death lawsuit against several establishments where the at-fault driver consumed alcohol on the night of the crash. The driver’s evening began at a party at a local restaurant and bar where he admitted to consuming three alcoholic beverages at the party hosted by his employer. After the party, he went to a second bar and then to a third bar. All three establishments were named as defendants in the lawsuit.
After a lengthy legal battle with the parties involved, The Stanley Law Group and the Starkes Law Firm settled for an undisclosed amount on behalf of the decedent’s family. The settlement is The Stanley Law Group’s single highest settlement amount to date in a car accident case.
Although the settlement will not bring their loved one back, the family of the decedent fought for justice and held the bars accountable for over-serving the at-fault driver in this case.
“We are hopeful that our lawsuit has taught these bars to be more responsible when serving alcohol to its customers.”
– Mark B. Stanley
Let Us Help You Today
If you have lost a close family member in an accident caused by drunk driving, South Carolina’s premises liability laws say that you can sue the bar that sold alcohol to the drunk driver on the night of the crash. The first step is to contact a Columbia car accident lawyer. Contact The Stanley Law Group for help today.
Resource:
wistv.com/story/31148456/funds-being-raised-for-sons-of-mother-killed-in-fatal-dui-crash/
