Hit-and-Run Victim's Family Sues Bar
The family of a woman, who was struck and killed in a pedestrian accident by a Chattanooga Billiard Club worker, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the bar that provided free alcohol to the employee. According to an article on this website, www.timesfreepress.com, that and other allegations are made against the long-established downtown Chattanooga, TN bar where the male worker used to be employed.
The deceased woman’s husband is seeking damages for the bar’s negligence.
The lawsuit claims that on December 23, 2009, the 25-year-old male worker stayed at the bar to drink alcohol “free of charge” after his shift ended at 3 a.m. and that the alcohol was provided by his supervisor at the club.
The suit claimed the man left the bar visibly intoxicated and then ran over the victim who was crossing the street to report to work.
The article reported that the man was drunk behind the wheel of his Nissan sports car, ran a red light, hit the woman, fled, then called police and pretended he had been carjacked to cover his tracks.
It is against a city ordinance for bar workers ever to drink where they work, even when they are off duty. Bars also are not permitted to serve alcohol to anyone between 3 and 8 a.m. on weekdays.
If you or a family member has been injured due to someone else’s negligence, the Pennsylvania liquor liability attorneys at Cherry Fieger, and Marciano, LLP understand cases involving intoxication. Dram shop laws vary widely from state to state and 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.
Due to the complex nature of dram shop laws in Pennsylvania, it is recommended that anyone dealing with an accident related to intoxication consult first with an experienced attorney who has a track record of dealing successfully with dram shop cases. Cherry, Fieger, and Marciano can offer you a free and entirely confidential case evaluation.
