— EXPERIENCED PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS
Philadelphia Dram Shop and Liquor Liability Lawyers
When a bar, restaurant, or liquor store keeps serving someone who is already dangerously drunk — or serves a minor — and that person goes on to injure or kill someone, the business can share the blame. These ‘dram shop’ claims are often overlooked. Fritz & Bianculli knows how to pursue them.
What Is Dram Shop Liability?
Dram shop liability is the legal responsibility of an establishment that over-serves a visibly intoxicated patron or serves a minor who then causes harm. It allows an injured victim to hold the alcohol provider accountable, not only the drinker — an important second source of recovery, especially when the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey Dram Shop Laws
Pennsylvania law prohibits serving a ‘visibly intoxicated’ person; to prevail, an injured party generally must show the establishment served someone who was visibly intoxicated and that the service helped cause the injury. New Jersey’s Licensed Server Liability Act applies a similar visibly-intoxicated-or-minor standard. Both are fact-intensive cases that reward a prompt, careful investigation of receipts, surveillance, and witness accounts.
Who Can Be Held Responsible
Bars, restaurants, taverns, and liquor stores are the most common defendants, and in limited circumstances a private social host may also bear responsibility — often turning on the service of alcohol to minors. Because these claims usually arise from drunk-driving crashes, they frequently accompany a car accident or wrongful death case.
Serving Philadelphia and New Jersey
From our offices in South Philadelphia, Northeast Philadelphia, and Sewell, New Jersey, we represent injured people throughout the Philadelphia region and across New Jersey — with a special focus on South Jersey, from the Delaware River communities all the way to the Jersey Shore.
Injured by a drunk or over-served driver? Call Fritz & Bianculli at (215) 458-2222 for a free, confidential consultation. You pay no attorney fee unless we win, we are available 24/7, and we have Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking staff ready to help.
RECOGNITION
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sue a bar for serving a drunk driver who hurt me?
In Pennsylvania and New Jersey you may have a ‘dram shop’ claim against a bar, restaurant, or liquor establishment that served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person or a minor who then caused injury. This is a separate claim on top of any claim against the driver.
What is dram shop liability?
Dram shop liability is the legal responsibility of businesses that sell or serve alcohol when they over-serve a visibly intoxicated patron or serve a minor and that person then injures someone. It lets victims hold the alcohol provider — not just the drinker — accountable.
What is the standard for dram shop liability in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania law prohibits serving a ‘visibly intoxicated’ person. To win, an injured party generally must show the establishment served someone who was visibly intoxicated and that the service was a factor in causing the injury. New Jersey uses a similar visibly-intoxicated/minor standard.
Can I hold a private party host responsible?
Social-host liability is more limited than commercial dram shop liability and differs between PA and NJ — it often turns on serving minors. Whether a host can be held responsible is fact-specific and worth reviewing with an attorney.