In February 2015, two drunk drivers crashed head-on in Staten Island, New York, which left William Cuffee, a passenger in of the driver’s vehicles, brain damaged and severely injured. Cuffee’s mother, who now cares for her son, recently filed a lawsuit against both drivers, as well as the pair of establishments one driver was drinking in prior to the crash that night.
The drivers each pleaded guilty to separate criminal charges related to the incident. However, when a person convicted on criminal charges caused injury to another person while in the process of committing a crime, a criminal conviction may not be the end of it as they can be sued in civil court as well. Cuffee’s mother had to sue on his behalf as the court declared him incapacitated.
Dram Shop Laws
Because drunk driving is such a major on-the-road safety concern, a majority of states have some form of dram shop laws. These laws allow victims of drunk driving accidents to hold alcohol serving establishments liable when patrons are served too much alcohol and allowed to drive away drunk.
These laws not only impose financial liability as a result of an establishment’s negligence in allowing a drunk patron to drive, some jurisdictions impose fines, and potential criminal penalties for the employees that serve alcohol to drunk people that later end up on the road. State laws will vary on what must be proven to hold an establishment liable, but it generally involves:
- Proving the establishment sold the person alcohol
- Proving the establishment continued to sell alcohol when the person was drunk
- And sometimes, proving the establishment knew the person was driving
Who’s Liable?
Depending on the jurisdiction, dram shop laws will only extend to protect third parties rather than the drunk drivers themselves. This means that only a third party will be able to hold an alcohol serving establishment liable for injuries caused by a drunk driving patron. However, in a few jurisdictions, under the right circumstances, a drunk driver that injures themselves in a crash may be able to pursue the establishment that got them drunk.
Related Resources:
- Find Car Accident Attorneys Near You (FindLaw’s Lawyer Directory)
- $3.9M Lawsuit Filed Against Bar and Driver for Hit and Run Death (FindLaw’s Injured)
- 5 Reasons to Sue a Restaurant (FindLaw’s Injured)
- Liability in a Bar Fight (FindLaw’s Injured)
