How Atlanta Dram Shop Liability Could Play a Factor in Your Case

When it comes to Georgia drunk driving accidents, it seems that no one comes out ahead. Drunk driving deaths total roughly 15,000 people each year in the United States. Accidents involving drunk drivers account for nearly 1/3 of all car accident fatalities each year.

It is estimated that one out of every three people will be involved in an accident with a drunk driver at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, because of the severe nature of these accidents, the consequences are often very tragic.

Until recently, Georgia DUI victims were fairly limited in the compensation they could recover from an accident. With the drunk driver being the only party that could be held liable, complications often arose that left victims to pay for the irresponsible actions of a drunk driver.

However, this changed in 2005 when Georgia introduced the dram shop liability act. This allowed victims of drunk driving to pursue another avenue of compensation should they choose to take legal action.

The Georgia dram shop liability act states that an alcohol vendor may be held liable for injuries caused by a customer to third parties if the vendor "knowingly sells, furnishes or serves alcoholic beverages to a person who is noticeably intoxicated, knowing that such person will soon be driving a motor vehicle".

With the introduction of this act, victims of drunk drivers can now choose to hold restaurants, clubs and other locations that sell alcohol partially liable for the injuries they received. Moreover, this can directly affect the amount of monetary compensation the victim can recover.

In a Georgia dram shop liability case, DUI victims can recover damages to pay for hospital bills, lost wages, emotional suffering and many other things. Because of the Georgia dram shop act, this compensation can be collected from the at-fault driver or the alcohol vendor, should they be found liable.

To learn more about these cases, contact an Atlanta DUI victim attorney today at the Law Offices of Shane Smith. Our experienced attorneys offer free consultations to discuss the details of your case. Set up your free appointment now by calling (770) HURT-999 or by filling out the form on this page.