If you were harmed due to a bar, restaurant, or liquor store overserving alcohol to a patron, a seasoned Jackson dram shop lawyer has the experience and legal insight to help. You might assume that responsibility rests squarely on the shoulders of a drunk driver who hit you. This limited responsibility can lead to limited available insurance coverage and inadequate justice. In some cases, establishments that sell alcohol share legal liability.
Dram shop laws assign liability to establishments that serve liquor under specific circumstances. If you suffered an injury as a result of a business’s lax policies regarding alcohol, you can seek compensation for your losses in a dram shop claim. An experienced car crash lawyer at Weldy Law Firm is here to help. Contact our attorneys today to learn more.
Dram shop laws in Mississippi impose specific legal liabilities on establishments that sell alcohol to the public. Fault can apply when intoxicated customers of these businesses go on to injure others, such as in drunk driving accidents. Mississippi’s dram shop laws are fairly limited in scope, and liability applies only under the two circumstances: the establishment served alcohol to an obviously intoxicated customer or the establishment served alcohol to an underage customer.
The state finds that injuries related to alcohol consumption are caused by those who are drinking and not by those who serve or sell alcohol. If a customer of an establishment that sells alcohol causes someone else to be injured, the business cannot be held legally liable as long as both the following apply: the alcohol was sold or served legally, and the customer purchased the alcoholic drinks legally. An attorney in Jackson from Weldy Law Firm could help you determine if dram shop laws apply to the accident that harmed you.
In Mississippi, there are specific exceptions to the rule that no liability applies to legal sales.
Mississippi’s Dram shop laws focus primarily on concerns related to drunk driving. However, when the alcohol-related issue occurs on an establishment’s premises, it can give rise to a premises liability claim.
Liability can shift from the impaired person to a party that forced them to drink. This can include the misrepresentation of drinks as being nonalcoholic, and also dangerous hazing practices that some fraternities use.
These exceptions extend to instances when the parties served were visibly intoxicated and to instances when underage drinkers were illegally served. If you suffered an injury by an establishment’s negligence in overserving or serving minors, a dedicated Jackson dram shop attorney can help.
When discussing Mississippi’s dram shop laws, it is also important to touch on social host liability in the state. In Mississippi, a social host is someone who is having a party, and they cannot be held legally liable for serving alcohol to someone who is of legal drinking age. If the person served goes on to cause someone else to be harmed off the premises, that person remains solely responsible.
It is worth noting that the matter is different if the person who is served alcohol is under the age of 21, whether they are visibly intoxicated or not. In these instances, the host can be held legally liable for any injuries or fatalities the underage drinker causes on or off the premises. Turn to a knowledgeable dram shop attorney in Jackson for the help you need in parsing through these nuances.
The Weldy Law Firm appreciates the significance of your claim and the harm you suffered and will leave no stone unturned on your behalf. Do not let someone else’s negligence go unaccounted for, and get in touch with a Jackson dram shop lawyer. Learn more about what we can do to help by contacting us online or giving us a call today for a free consultation.
