Can You Sue A Bar For Serving Alcohol To Drunk Drivers In Florida?
DUIs cause considerable issues for communities in Florida. Intoxicated drivers have the potential to end lives, cause serious injuries, and make our roads extremely unsafe for innocent people. You might assume that if a drunk driver injures someone or takes their life, then they would be held responsible. While this is true to some extent, some would argue that the establishment that served them alcohol could also be held liable. But can you really sue a bar for causing a DUI accident in Florida?
If you’ve been injured by a drunk driver in Orlando, your best bet is to get in touch with a qualified, experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. These legal professionals can help you strive for the best possible results in a confident, efficient manner. It’s important to assess all of your legal options if you have suffered an injury, and that means exploring the various parties that may be held liable. It’s best to book a consultation with an attorney as soon as possible after your accident.
Ocala Bar Sued for Serving Alcohol to Drunk Driver
In early April of 2022, it was reported that an Ocala bar was being sued for serving alcohol to a drunk driver. This drunk driver then got into a crash that injured at least one person and killed others. An injured man from this crash then turned around and sued the bar. But how is this even legal? What laws allow someone to sue a bar for a drunk driving accident?
Dram Shop Laws
Dram shop laws are slightly controversial in the United States, and they have not been widely adopted by every single state within the nation. These laws would theoretically allow plaintiffs to hold establishments liable if they sell alcohol to individuals who then go out and cause injuries to others. In Florida, it is clearly stated that:
“A person who sells or furnishes alcoholic beverages to a person of lawful drinking age shall not thereby become liable for injury or damage caused by or resulting from the intoxication of such person.”
In other words, you cannot hold one of these establishments liable for injuries as a result of selling alcohol to intoxicated people.
With all that being said, there are a number of exceptions to this rule. Firstly, they can be held liable for injuries if they sold alcohol to minors. Even if they had no idea the individual was under the legal drinking age, they can still be held liable. For example, the underage individual might have used a fake ID.
Secondly, an establishment can be held liable if they serve someone who is “habitually addicted.” In other words, if the establishment knew for a fact that the individual in question was an alcoholic and they continued to serve them anyway, they may be held liable for injuries caused by that individual.
Enlist the Help of a Qualified Attorney Today
The skilled Orlando personal injury lawyers at Payer Law are prepared to assist you today. We have assisted numerous injured plaintiffs over the years, and we know how to help you strive for the best possible result. By suing negligent parties, you can recover enough funds to pay for medical expenses, missed wages, emotional distress, and much more. Get in touch as soon as possible to get started.
Source:
ocala.com/story/news/2022/03/31/ocala-florida-bar-sued-lawsuit-over-injuries-crash-killed-2-women/7221267001/
