Thanksgiving Day is for family gatherings and grateful reflection. Unfortunately, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it’s also the most dangerous weekend of the year for American drivers. One primary reason for the annual spike in car crashes is alcohol – and often, it’s not only the drunk driver who is to blame, say auto accident and liquor law liability attorneys in Orlando.
For most workers, the Thanksgiving holiday means a four-day weekend. And that means lots of celebratory cocktails. But when a drunk driver causes a car crash, the celebration can quickly turn to devastation. You can be sure that auto accident attorneys representing victims and their families will aggressively pursue damages against the inebriated driver. But in some cases, they may also be able to hold responsible the businesses where the driver was served alcohol.
Florida laws governing liability of dram shops (the legal term for a bar, restaurant, night club or similar business where alcoholic beverages are sold or served) hold that they too can be held accountable for drunk driving accidents if it can be proven that the driver they served was a minor or was known by the establishment’s workers that the driver was a habitual heavy drinker or alcohol addict.
Under social host liability laws, a person who hosts a gathering in a private home and serves alcohol to someone who in turn causes a drunk driving crash also can be held liable. Both dram shops and social hosts proven to have contributed to the accident can be sued for damages including the victims’ medical costs and legal fees.
If you are injured in a drunk driving accident, attorneys with Orlando’s Todd E. Copeland & Associates will help you determine all potentially liable parties and aggressively pursue fair compensation for you and your family. Contact us at 407-999-8995 in Orlando or 407-847-7277 in Kissimmee.
From all of us here at Todd E. Copeland & Associates, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday.
