Learn More

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Stay Safe & Remember Dram Shop Laws

March 17, 2021
Opinion

Celebrate Smart and Safe this St. Patty’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is one of the most popular drinking days in the United States and across the world. Millions of people indulge in pints of Guinness, green beer, and festive cocktails. It is important to remember to stay safe, respect the laws, and always designate a sober driver. 

At Mase Mebane, we represent individuals and their families who have been injured or killed because of another person’s wrongful act. Our legal team fights hard to hold all parties accountable in the wake of a drunk driving accident or other harm caused by intoxication. 

If you have been injured in an alcohol-related accident, contact our office for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

Mase Maebane 02 768x403 1 Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Stay Safe & Remember Dram Shop Laws

Deadly Statistics on St. Patrick’s Day

In addition to being one of the most popular drinking days, March 17th can also be one of the deadliest. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 327 alcohol-related crashes during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday last year. 

From 2015 to 2019, there were 280 people killed in drunk driving crashes from 6:00 PM on March 16 to 5:59 AM on March 18. NHTSA found that 63 percent of fatal crashes over St. Patrick’s Day involved a drunk driver.

Holding All Parties Accountable

When someone is injured in a drunk driving accident, many people assume that the only person who can be held responsible is the intoxicated driver. In Florida, there are some instances where a bar or restaurant can be held liable when a negligently served patron injures or kills another person.

Florida’s Dram Shop Laws (Florida Statute 768.125) generally shield a person who sells or furnishes alcoholic beverages to an intoxicated patron from liability.

Florida law, however, imposes fault when a person knowingly sells or furnishes alcohol to a person:

  • Not of lawful drinking age; or
  • Habitually addicted to alcohol.

People who are injured because a party or establishment failed to abide by Florida’s liquor laws deserve compensation. At Mase Mebane, we have successfully recovered compensation against establishments that have willfully and unlawfully sold or furnished alcoholic beverages in violation of the Florida’s Dram Shop Laws. 

Learn more on our resource: “Liquor & Bar Liability.”

Contact Mase Mebane for More Information

When a bar, club, restaurant, or other alcohol vendor fails to check identification, markets to underage patrons, or knowingly serves someone who has an addiction to alcohol, they must be held accountable. Our attorneys have recovered millions on behalf of individuals injured because of a bar’s negligent furnishing of alcohol or other third-party’s wrongful conduct.

If you were injured by an intoxicated person or were underage, served, and injured, contact our office to discuss your legal options. Call (844) 627-3529 or fill out our online contact form to discuss your case with an experienced trial lawyer. Get the aggressive legal representation you deserve. Alcohol-related injuries and deaths are preventable. 

Let us help hold all wrongful parties responsible. All consultations are free and confidential. 

Return to All Blogs
Share This Story
If you found the information provided by this article useful, consider sharing to your social media channels to help others in their search for reliable personal injury resources.
Get Your Case Evaluation
Contact us online now by using the form below, or call us at (305) 377-3770.

Get Your Free Consultation
(305) 377-3770
Mase Seitz Briggs
2601 South Bayshore Drive
Suite 800
Miami, FL 33133

Phone: 305-487-8863
Toll Free: 1-844-904-1749
Fax: 305-377-0080
1200 N Federal Hwy
Suite 200
Boca Raton, FL 33432

Phone: 561-210-8516
Fax: 561-210-8301
*Available by Appointment*
crosschevron-down linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram