Dram Shop Liability And Underage Drunk Driving
Getting a fake ID and using it to buy alcoholic beverages under false pretenses is a young adult rite of passage, especially here in South Carolina, arguably the party school capital of the world. Consider that the most memorable part of the movie Superbad is the glaringly fake Hawaii driver’s license that identifies the bearer as “McLovin.” Creating fake IDs with rudimentary Photoshop software might make you the most popular kid in your college dorm, but the legal consequences of doing so can be severe. It is also illegal for bars and liquor stores to sell alcoholic beverages to people under the age of 21. These establishments are also liable for accidents caused by underage drinkers, under a legal doctrine known as dram shop liability. The establishment’s negligence can take the form of not checking ID or failing to discover that a fake ID was fake. If you got injured in a car accident caused by a drunk driver under the age of 21 who bought alcohol with a fake ID, contact a Columbia car accident lawyer.
Parents of Young Man Who Died in Single Vehicle Collision Sue Liquor Store That Sold Him Alcohol
On November 2, 2022, Jonah Eli Prince bought alcoholic beverages from Hot Shot Liquors on Red Bluff Road in Loris. Prince was 19 years old, but the ID he presented to the cashier showed that he was at least 21. The cashier scanned the ID with the scanning device it uses to scan all customers’ IDs at the point of purchase, but it did not reveal that the ID was fake. After midnight that night, Prince was driving drunk after drinking the liquor he bought at Hot Shot Liquors, and he got into a single vehicle accident and suffered fatal injuries.
In 2024, Jonah’s parents filed a dram shop liability lawsuit against Hot Shot Liquors, alleging that the liquor store was negligent for using scanning devices that did not accurately detect that Jonah’s ID was fake. South Carolina has the third highest number of drunk driving fatalities, despite its relatively small population; its reputation as a tourist destination for boozy getaways accounts for part of this. It has witnessed several high-profile dram shop liability lawsuits recently. For example, a drunk driver who had visited several Myrtle Beach bars crashed into a golf cart that was leaving a wedding reception and carrying four members of the wedding party; the bride died from injuries sustained in the accident. Another dram shop lawsuit arises from a 2021 head on collision on the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge. Dram shop laws might also apply in the case of some of the accidents involving the “Widowmaker” oak tree on James Island.
Let Us Help You Today
The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you get justice after an accident involving a drunk driver under the age of 21. Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.
Source:
wbtw.com/news/grand-strand/loris/loris-liquor-store-sold-alcohol-to-19-year-old-before-deadly-2022-wreck-lawsuit-says/
