Under dram shop laws, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, liquor stores, and other establishments that sell alcohol have a duty to prevent Georgia drunk driving accidents. The establishment can be held responsible for a DUI car crash if alcohol was served to a patron who was visibly intoxicated or to a minor, if that patron causes the accident after leaving the drinking establishment.
In Georgia, dram shop laws also allow victims of drunk-driving accidents to pursue a legal claim against the business or establishment which sold the alcohol to the drunk driver. This can be especially helpful if the driver who causes a Georgia DUI car crash is uninsured or underinsured, or if the victim has very high medical bills.
It is important to note that not all Georgia DUI victims have a dram shop claim. It is not enough for the drunk driver to have had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or higher when he or she left the establishment; he also must have been visibly impaired at the time the alcohol was served.
Do you have more questions about Georgia dram shop law or the rights of DUI injury victims? Order a free copy of Atlanta DUI victim attorney Shane Smith’s book, I Was Hit By A Drunk Driver: What Do I Do Next? If you would like to discuss your own case with Shane Smith, contact Shane Smith Law at (980) 246-2656