Sonoma Winery Pays $3M to Settle Teen DUI Case
According to an Associated Press article on Philly.com, a California winery will pay $3 million to settle a lawsuit brought after a teen driver was served beer at a wedding reception there. He later crashed his car, causing brain injury to his friend.
The teen motorist was convicted of drunken driving and served time for the 2006 crash.
The victim’s family sued Paradise Ridge Winery and the owners of a 7-Eleven, where the 19-year-olds reportedly later bought beer.
The injured friend also will get $500,000 from 7-Eleven and $105,000 from the driver. The money covers attorney fees and the injured boy’s care and will buy him a house equipped for the disabled.
The teen driver said that a bartender at the winery served him six to eight beers after he told them he left his identification in the car.
The teen driver would have been well advised to contact a personal injury attorney. At Cherry Fieger Marciano, they understand the potential repercussions of cases involving intoxication. A person’s financial and physical future could be at stake. When looking for a Pennsylvania personal injury attorney, look a firm that has the resources it takes to fight and win a case along with a successful track record and outstanding reputation. Cherry Fieger Marciano can handle your dram shop case.
Dram shop liability laws in Pennsylvania cover places of business that serve alcohol - from liquor stores to bars to restaurants, theaters, and clubs - and impose liability on these establishments when they serve alcohol to someone underage or already intoxicated who then goes on to break the law or get in an accident that hurts themselves or others.
Dram shop laws vary widely from state to state, but most allow individuals to recover financial compensation when the establishment who served them alcohol already knew, or should have known, that they were beyond the legal limit, were unfit to drive, or should have been stopped from drinking. However, the indicators of intoxication can be contested, and in order to establish dram shop liability a thorough investigation including testimony must be conducted.
Due to the complex nature of dram shop laws in Philadelphia, it is recommended that anyone dealing with a drunk driving charge or other accident related to intoxication consult first with an experienced personal injury attorney who has a track record of dealing successfully with dram shop cases.
Source article: http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/business/20091211_ap_sonomawinerypays3mtosettleteenduicase.html
