Can I sue someone for damages if they were already found guilty in criminal court?
The outcome of a drunk driver’s criminal case does not affect your ability to bring a civil claim against them. They’re two completely different standards. What is good is that if the person is convicted of drunk driving, then that can be used to enhance your case against them for your personal injuries.
Does a liquor license provide immunity for bars or liquor stores?
Immunity means that you cannot be held responsible for what you’ve done. Liquor licenses do not provide immunity. Bars and liquor stores still must sell liquor responsibly.
Is a drink on the house considered a sold beverage for dram shop actions or liquor liability cases?
A drink on the house is not a sale. However, the Dram Shop or Liquor Liability Law in Rhode Island covers more than just the sale of alcohol. It also includes the service or providing of drinks. So a drink on the house does fall within the Dram Shop and Liquor Liability Laws of… Read More »
Is it necessary to prove that the drunk driver was visibly intoxicated at the time that alcohol was sold or furnished?
In Rhode Island, it is a requirement to sue the bar or a restaurant that you prove the person who received the alcohol or was served the alcohol was visibly intoxicated at the time. In Rhode Island, this is often done through use of expert witnesses and that’s one reason you should have an… Read More »
What actions give rise to liability for a bar, tavern, or liquor store in a dram shop action or liquor liability case?
Bars and restaurants can be sued for over serving alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person. Liquor stores can be sued for providing alcohol to a minor or for selling it to someone who is visibly intoxicated.
What compensation can be recovered in a Dram Shop lawsuit?
In a Dram Shop, or liquor liability lawsuit, you can recover compensation for your personal injuries, which includes your pain and suffering, your medical bills, your lost earnings, any scarring or disfigurement you might have received, and any permanent injury you might have to a body part.
What is liquor law liability?
Liquor law liability means that alcohol has been sold or delivered or served to a person who should not have received it, either because they were too young to receive it or they were too intoxicated to receive it. So the case is based on a violation of safe liquor sales or service laws.
What kinds of damages may be recovered in a dram shop action or liquor liability case?
In a dram shop or a liquor liability case, you can recover damages for your personal injuries. Those include pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wages, scarring and disfigurement and any permanent loss of movement or motion that you might have in a bodily part such as a hand or an arm.
Who are the typical defendants in a dram shop action or liquor liability case?
In a dram shop or a liquor liability case, the typical defendants are the licensee, which is the person who holds the liquor sales license, and also some of their employees, such as their bartenders, their wait staff, or their alcohol service manager.
Are tavern or bar employers or the actual employees liable in a dram shop action or liquor liability case?
In a dram shop or liquor liability case, the bar or tavern is responsible because it holds the liquor license. The employees who work there are also responsible for making sure that alcohol is sold and served in a responsible manner and in a safe manner.
