It is illegal for people to get behind the wheel after drinking. Most adults are aware of this rule. Still, some of them choose to drive while drunk anyway. Those impaired motorists put everyone else on the road at risk.
In some cases, they cause collisions that put people in the hospital or lead to tragic premature deaths. Obviously, those who engage in clearly unsafe behavior are responsible for the consequences of their actions. The people affected by drunk driving collisions often have the option of filing insurance claims against the coverage of the impaired motorists.
Injured people may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit brought against the drunk driver, while grieving families might be able to pursue wrongful death lawsuits. However, the drunk driver may not have enough income or resources to properly compensate the people they harmed. In some cases, it may be possible to hold a bar, restaurant or other business licensed to serve alcohol responsible for a drunk driving crash under dram shop laws.
What is the Ohio dram shop law?
A dram shop is a business that serves alcohol intended for on-site consumption. Bars and restaurants are subject to dram shop laws if they have a license to serve beer, wine or liquor. For the most part, businesses are not liable for the conduct of intoxicated patrons.
There is one critical statutory exception to the business’s protection from liability. If those affected by a drunk driving crash can prove that the workers at a bar or restaurant served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated patron, then the business might be liable for the crash that the drunk customer caused after leaving.
Higher blood alcohol concentrations can help prove that an individual must have demonstrated notable signs of impairment. Witnesses present at the bar or restaurant can also affirm whether an individual seemed drunk while ordering and consuming beverages. Dram shop claims can be useful because they allow those hurt by drunk drivers to access the resources and insurance coverage of a business.
Those affected by drunk driving crashes often need help looking at their options for financial compensation. Contacting the team at Phillips & Mille Co., L.P.A. by clicking here or calling (440) 243-2800 can help those affected by drunk driving collisions explore their options.
