A lot of people sustain injuries or lose their lives on the road every year due to alcohol-related accidents. If this occurs, parties other than a drunk motorist might face liability for the damages to victims. In Philadelphia, establishments such as bars, nightclubs, and restaurants are not allowed to over-serve alcohol to intoxicated people or serve to minors. If these businesses do otherwise and a drunk driver causes a traffic accident, they can be held liable.
If you are a victim of these accidents, you have two years from the injury date to file a dram shop liability claim. A dram shop lawyer will use evidence like surveillance footage from the business and eyewitness statements to prove liability. In such kinds of claims, you can recover financial compensation for your losses and punitive damages. To learn more about what your attorney can help you with, visit this page.
Understand the Dram Shop Law
Those who sustain injuries due to drunk drivers may bring a lawsuit against negligent and irresponsible bar owners and intoxicated drivers. A drunk individual who causes a serious accident or fatality while driving a vehicle can be held liable for resulting damages. The same goes for a business or social host that serves alcohol to an already drunk person or a minor.
Increasing Your Chances of a Successful Case
Building a dram shop case against businesses and people whoi serve alcohol to drunk persons is not always straightforward. To succeed, you need to prove that:
- The at-fault driver was visibly intoxicated. To establish liability, you need to prove that the intoxicated driver was obviously drunk. Courts in the state offer guidance on such a point, concentrating on physical signs like difficulty walking and slurred speech.
- A link between service and injuries. You cannot just hold a business liable for your injuries for having served alcoholic beverages to an obviously drunk person. You must also demonstrate that the establishment over-served alcohol, which resulted in in your injuries.
If you have mounting medical bills to pay, you need to seek a fair settlement that helps restore your life before the accident. Your dram shop lawyer can do this. They can help you get a huge settlement. As they work with you at each stage of the legal process, they will build up your strengths. Your attorney will make sure that you are strong in every area of your life. This way, you can emerge from your lawsuit standing on both feet.