Everyone makes mistakes. When someone chooses to drink and driver, however, they are committing an act of disregard that is beyond the pale. Fortunately, Connecticut law makes it possible to bring an action against those who sell alcohol to drunk drivers as well as the DUI offenders themselves. If you wish to file a liquor liability (otherwise known as a “Dram shop”) case, then there are steps which must be taken immediately. It is important that you retain an experienced personal injury attorney to assist you. While other firms may stand up for the rights of drunk drivers, our Hartford lawyers stand up for the rights of the victims. If you have been hit by a drunk driver then contact our office today. We also assist those in Wethersfield, New Britain, Rocky Hill, and elsewhere.
Hartford Dram shop lawyers handling cases involving the sale of alcohol to a drunk driver
The victims of drunk driving receive more protection in Connecticut than they do in some other states. Our state allows DUI victims to sue those who provided the alcohol if it can be shown that the person they served was already visibly drunk and that such a sale contributed to the cause of the accident. If you wish to bring a Dram shop action against a bar, restaurant, store, or other establishment then you generally must provide them with notice within sixty days of the accident. Failing to do so means you will lose your right to file suit against such entities. If your action is successful then you may be able to recover up to $250,000 from the establishment, in addition to any damages recovered from the driver.
The first steps in a DUI accident/liquor liability case is for the victim’s attorney to identify the possible defendants. This will require counsel to conduct a full investigation, which can include obtaining police reports, speaking to witnesses, obtaining security footage, etc. It will then be necessary to identify all of the owners of any establishment which may be liable. Once the responsible parties have been identified, their insurance carriers may be contacted. If a reasonable settlement cannot be reached then the matter will proceed to litigation. Under CT law, written notice of your dram shop claim containing very specific information must be served on the defendants within one year from the date of the incident. In addition to being complex, handling these types of cases can be both costly and time consuming. It is crucial that you retain an attorney with the experience and resources necessary to handle such matters.
Our Hartford lawyers have over seventy-five years of combined legal experience and are ready to handle your Dram shop case. After your initial consultation we will launch an immediate investigation into the case. This will include sending an investigator to the establishment in question and demanding that any surveillance footage be preserved. We will notify the establishment of the intent to pursue litigation. If a settlement is not reached, and a lawsuit is filed, then we will use the discovery process to obtain sales receipts, ATM records, and other relevant information. We will not hesitate to take your case to trial and our firm will make sure that your rights are protected. You have been the victim of an injustice and we are ready to assist you. Contact us today.
Hartford lawyers with the resources needed to help drunk driving victims in a Dram shop case
If you are involved in a Dram shop case then it is vital that you retain a firm with the resources necessary to handle such matters. Your counsel must have the resources to pay investigators and to potentially retain expert witnesses. Hiring a firm without the financial resources necessary to do so can hurt your ability to recover. Our firm was founded in 1969 and we are able to deal with the largest of defendants. Our attorneys have recovered awards in the seven figures and we pride ourselves on providing a high level of service.
Our lawyers also service the areas of Wethersfield, New Britain, Rocky Hill, East and West Hartford, Bristol, Glastonbury and Manchester, as well as the Middlesex County cities of Middletown and Cromwell.
