Alcohol is a factor in many injury compensation cases, but more individuals can be held responsible than just the person who was drinking. Minnesota’s dram shop law recognizes that those individuals who serve alcohol can also be held legally responsible for a patron’s actions in certain circumstances. In today’s blog, we explain how you can seek compensation from a bartender, liquor store or establishment that sells alcohol to an intoxicated person who then causes harm to someone else.
Minnesota’s Dram Shop Laws
Any of the following parties can pursue compensation under Minnesota’s dram shop law:
- The individual who was over-served
- An individual who was injured by an over-served patron
- Family members of someone who died as a result of being over-served
- Family members of someone who was killed by an over-served individual
The most common type of injury that comes to mind when thinking of dram shop laws are drunk driving accidents in which the bar continued to serve an obviously intoxicated individual, but that’s not the only case. For example, let’s say you were walking into an Applebee’s at the same time that an over-served individual was leaving. If that patron tripped on a step and knocked you over, causing injuries, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim from the individual and a dram shop claim from the establishment.
Dram shop laws are a little bit different from a standard injury claim in that they are solely awarded in terms of monetary damages. However, you can pursue monetary compensation in many different forms, including but not limited to:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
It’s also worth noting that like most lawsuits, there are time constraints to file a dram shop lawsuit. Under Minnesota law, a person has two years to file a dram shop suit in order for the case to be considered valid by the court.
So if you’ve been injured by an over-served patron, or you caused injuries because you were over-served by an establishment that should have known to stop serving you alcohol, consider setting up a meeting with an injury lawyer at Hey Workers. We’ve helped a number of clients pursue compensation under the state’s dram shop law, and we can do the same for you. An establishment owes a responsibility to keep the public safe by avoiding over-serving their patrons, and when they fail to meet this standard, you are entitled to compensation. If you’re wondering if you have a case or you want more information about your options, reach out to the experienced legal team at Hey Workers today.
