Drinking and driving is against the law because drunk drivers are far more likely to get into a car accident and injure or kill someone else. When this happens, accident victims can bring them to court in a civil negligence suit to recover for their injuries. What many people do not realize, however, is that the victims may be able to sue someone else too—those who served alcohol to the intoxicated driver.
The family of a 21-year-old woman killed in a tragic car accident last March is doing just that. According to a local news report covering the accident and subsequent lawsuit, the incident occurred on Saturday, March 7. The intoxicated driver, a 31-year-old woman, was driving a white SUV the wrong way on the highway when she hit another car, a white Chevrolet, head-on. Two women in the Chevrolet, age 21 and 22, were killed. There were also two children in the backseat of the Chevrolet; one of them died, and the other was taken to the hospital. The intoxicated driver was also taken to the hospital with severe injuries, and the criminal investigation into the crash is ongoing.
The family of the 21-year-old victim wasted no time in filing a civil negligence lawsuit. In the lawsuit, they accuse both the driver and Sazerac, the liquor brand the driver worked for. According to their complaint, the driver was a recruiter for Sazerac and was attending their Northwest Ordinance distilling Mardi Gras party shortly before the crash. The complaint alleges that Sazerac agents and employees saw the driver drunk and yet still allowed her to drive away. The driver, heavily intoxicated, drove away at 9 p.m., and about fourteen minutes later, 911 began receiving calls about the crash. Tragically, the local news article reported one of the calls made by a sobbing caller: “Oh my God, there’s somebody on the highway, and they’re driving the wrong way, and they just smashed somebody… those people are dead. There’s no way they survived that.”
While the outcome of this suit is still unknown, Indiana residents should keep this in mind if they are ever injured by a drunk driver. Like many states, Indiana law allows those injured to file suit against anyone involved and responsible. Under the state’s Dram Shop Act, anyone who knowingly serves alcohol to someone showing the signs of intoxication can then be held liable if that person drives drunk and kills someone. This applies to those hosting parties, such as Sazerac, as well as restaurants and bars.
Speak to an Indiana Car Accident Lawyer
If you’ve recently been injured by a drunk driver, you may be able to file a civil negligence suit and recover monetarily from more than one defendant. This process can be an essential step to getting your life back on track, but can also be overwhelming or confusing. Call Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP, for immediate assistance. Our Indiana car accident attorneys will work with you on every step of the process, fighting to get you the compensation you deserve and hold those who harmed you responsible. Call 888-532-7766 to learn more and schedule your free consultation.