Drunk Driving Accident

Drunk Driving Accidents

Drunk drivers harm, maim, and kill people. There is no excuse for this kind of carelessness.

Not only should the drunk drivers be held accountable, but so too should the bars, restaurants, and other establishments that served the alcohol that impaired the drunk driver before he/she got on the road. If you have been injured by a drunk driver, then contact our accident attorneys.

Dram or dramshop is a legal term going back hundreds of years referring to a bar, tavern or the like where alcoholic beverages are sold. Traditionally, dram shop referred to a shop where spirits were sold by the dram, a small unit of liquid.

Dram shop liability refers to law governing the liability of bars, taverns, restaurants, and liquor stores and other commercial establishments that serve alcoholic beverages. Generally, dram shop laws establish the liability of establishments arising out of the sale of alcohol to visibly intoxicated persons or minors who subsequently cause death or injury to third-parties—those not having a relationship to the bar, as a result of alcohol-related car crashes and other accidents.

The laws are intended to protect the general public from the hazards of irresponsibly serving alcohol to minors and intoxicated patrons. These liability laws have been on the books in most states for hundreds of years because of the dangers of serving alcohol to intoxicated persons (long before motor vehicles existed).

Groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) have advocated for the enforcement and enactment of dram shop laws across the United States.

If you have been injured by a drunk driver, then contact our drunk driving accident attorneys.

Florida’s Dram Shop Liability Laws Protecting Consumers Are Limited

Florida’s bar owners, tavern owners, restaurants, and other alcohol-serving establishments got together and lobbied to stop from being held accountable when they help create drunk drivers. The Florida Legislature granted them that wish.

Under Florida Statute § 768.125, individuals or companies who sell or serve alcohol are not liable for injuries or damages caused by the drunk driver except in two situations:

if the drunk driver was under the age of 21, the individual who served the alcohol can be held liable for the damage
The second exception applies to a party who serves a person whom they know is "habitually addicted to the use of any or all alcoholic beverages" may be held legally responsible for injury and death caused a result of the impairment or intoxication

It is clear that Florida has made a strange bedfellow with the alcohol industry and bars, taverns, and restaurants in providing them with virtual immunity for over-serving any customer who will leave the premises and get behind the wheel of a car.

These alcohol-impaired drivers are hazardous to the community’s health and pose a direct threat to families who unwittingly have to share road with them.

If you have been hurt in a motor vehicle accident involving a drunk driver, then contact our vehicle accident attorneys.

Contact Your State Legislator, MADD, and Other Consumer Groups to Toughen Our Dram Shop Laws

Your voice must be heard on this issue. There is no justifiable, common sense reason for Florida to immunize irresponsible bars, taverns, restaurants, and other establishments which over-serve impaired persons with alcohol who simply walk to the parking lot, put the keys in the car, and get ready to endanger the rest of us.

It is time that those alcohol-serving establishments be held accountable for helping place drunk drivers on Florida’s roads.

Contact your State Representative, State Senator, as well as groups like MADD, to change Florida’s current laws.

Catastrophic injury and wrongful death resulting from drunk drivers devastate families and communities.

Future medical bills, life care planning, special education needs, nutritional needs, interventional therapies, the emotional toll and physical pain and suffering, may be recovered if others’ negligence caused your injuries.

The last thing an injury victim needs to worry about is hospital bills, doctor bills, lost work and living expenses. The costs of life, mortgage, rent, electric and other bills do not stop even though parts of your life did. Contact our personal injury lawyers to review your situation.

We're Here to Help - Throughout Florida and Beyond

For dedication and experience, contact our injury law firm. We proudly serve deserving clients and their families who are seeking to overcome the challenges of serious personal injury and wrongful death throughout Florida and beyond in other States.

Locally, we are also proud to serve our neighbors throughout Southwest Florida, including those in Arcadia, Alva, Avon Park, Bonita Springs, Bradenton, Cape Coral, Charlotte County, Clewiston, Collier County, Desoto County, Englewood, Felda, Fort Myers, Ft. Myers, Glades County, Golden Gate, Hardee County, Hendry County, Highlands County, Immokalee, La Belle, Labelle, Lake Placid, Lee County, Lehigh, Lehigh Acres, Manatee County, Moore Haven, Naples, Nokomis, North Port, Osprey, Palmdale, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Sarasota, Sebring, Venice, Wauchula, Zolfo Springs.

We look forward to working with you and helping you in your time of need and challenges.