Drunk Driving and Dram Shop Accidents

Carol Rosenbloom Associates, LLC | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer ● Dram Shop Accident Attorney

When a drunk driver kills or injures another person, he or his family may have two sources of auto liability insurance for compensation. The initial source of insurance is the drunk driver’s auto insurance. The police can often be a good source of information regarding the sobriety of the driver.

Recently, a jury in Harrisburg Pennsylvania awarded more than $2 million to the survivors of a central Pennsylvania man killed by a drunk driver four years ago. The driver ran a red light after leaving a Harrisburg bar. Tests showed her alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit. The other defendants were the club, its manager and the bartender. The club wasn’t insured. The decedent and his companion were loading dogs into their car when he was struck. The impact severed the 55 year old man’s legs. The driver was recently paroled.

A victim, who has suffered serious injuries or death at the hands of a drunk driver, should seek compensation. A good place to start is with one’s own insurance policy under the uninsured or underinsured motorist’s provision. Another source of recovery that should be explored is with the provider of the alcohol. However, if the bar doesn’t have insurance, it is unlikely to be a recovery. It is advisable to contact an attorney in both is these instances. An attorney can review the relevant insurance policy and, when appropriate, can locate the provider of the alcohol and secure statements from necessary witnesses.

When the provider of the alcohol is a bar, a lawsuit against the bar owner, who may be liable, is brought under the Dram Shop Act. This Act applies when a visibly intoxicated customer or underage customer is served. Witness evidence is important and it is advisable to contact an attorney as soon as possible.

It may be possible to hold a taxi or limousine service responsible for the acts of a drunken passenger after the passenger leaves the tax, van or limousine service. A taxi, van and limousine service is known as a livery company. The highest appeals court in Massachusetts has ruled that a livery company and its driver in Boston could be held liable in a fatal car accident caused by a drunken passenger after he left the livery van. The court stated that driver should not have dropped off a drunken passenger at a location where he would likely get into a car and drive. While a Pennsylvania court does not have to follow this decision from a Massachusetts court, the Pennsylvania court may be persuaded by the decision.

At Carol Rosenbloom Associates, LLC, we have a thorough knowledge of Pennsylvania personal injury law and more than 40 years of combined experience handling drunk driving and dram shop accident cases. If you or a loved one has been a victim of a drunk driving and dram shop accident, our attorneys can quickly evaluate your claim and explain your options.

Initial consultations are free. The majority of our services are provided on a contingent fee basis. This means you will pay no attorneys' fees unless we are able to achieve a verdict or settlement on your behalf.

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Carol Rosenbloom Associates, LLC

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