Dram Shop Liability Lawyers
In a DUI accident, an intoxicated driver usually causes or contributes to the cause of the collision. However, the person or establishment serving this person alcohol may also bear some of the responsibility. The laws that cover the liability of a business that serves alcohol are known as dram shop laws. Here is what you need to know about how those laws may affect your injury compensation claim.
Florida’s Restrictive Dram Shop Laws
Vendors who sell alcohol to an individual under 21 years of age, or to someone known to be habitually addicted to alcohol, may be liable if the intoxicated person injures another in an accident as a result of their intoxication.
The dram shop laws do not typically apply to someone who serves alcohol to guests in their home. Vendors who sell alcohol at a bar, liquor store, restaurant, or similar establishment are usually the only ones a lawsuit could name in this kind of action.
In cases where a vendor served someone under 21, it is not necessary that the vendor knew that the individual was under 21. If the person was over 21, the server must have known the individual was an alcoholic. Plaintiffs can demonstrate this by showing that the person or business serving the alcohol had regularly observed this person intoxicated or other similar ways.
Damages Under Dram Shop Liability
Like other personal injury lawsuits, when you seek compensation from a vendor under dram shop laws, expenses like medical bills, medications, and any specialized medical equipment you may have to purchase as a result of your injury may be recovered. You can also be compensated for lost wages resulting from time missed at work under dram shop liability as well.
There are other avenues for compensation under dram shop liability. Victims can seek compensation for property damage the intoxicated individual caused from both the individual driver and the vendor. They can also seek payment for pain and suffering after an accident.
Though no one should get behind the wheel after they’ve been drinking, when vendors serve someone who is an alcoholic, they may bear some of the fault. In Florida, the law holds them partly accountable. When you don’t know where to turn after an accident with an intoxicated person, talk to our team about whether dram shop laws apply in your case.
The attorneys of Freedland Harwin Valori, PL have a proven track record of getting compensation for victims after accidents with intoxicated drivers from Florida’s dram shop liability laws. Call us today and our attorneys will fight to see that you get the compensation you deserve to get your life back after an injury.
