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If you were hurt in an Alabama car accident caused by a drunk driver, it’s common sense to pursue compensation from the intoxicated driver that injured you. However, many people may not realize that in Alabama, laws exist that may permit you to sue a liquor store, bar, restaurant, or even social host that served or sold alcohol negligently. Here are Alabama’s current dram shop laws.
Dram Shop Laws and Liability
In Alabama, liquor stores, bars, and restaurants may not legally sell alcohol in a negligent circumstance. This means visibly intoxicated individuals and anyone under 21 years of age may not be legally served by these establishments. The laws also apply to social hosts having a private party where alcohol is offered or served.
Any licensed establishment or social host that has violated the state’s dram shop laws can be held liable if any prohibited individual injures someone through a drunk driving accident or a bar fight. You may sue the party that injured you as well as the party that served or sold them alcohol for negligence.
Statute of Limitations
In Alabama, you have 2 years from the date you were injured to file a lawsuit alleging violations of the state’s dram shop laws. If you allow this statute of limitations to expire, you will usually be barred. Any lawsuit you file will be dismissed. This means you permanently lose your right to recover compensation through the courts.
Contact an Alabama Personal Injury Attorney
If you or a loved one were hurt in a drunk driving accident, call the skilled Mobile Personal Injury Attorneys at Stevenson Klotz today to see if you may be able to recover compensation from parties in addition to the drunk driver. We have years of experience litigating dram shop laws and recovering the maximum possible compensation for our clients. Call us at (850) 706-4226 or fill out our online Contact Page to schedule your no-obligation, free initial case evaluation. Let us review your situation and give you peace of mind starting today.