Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Coach's And Cowboy's? Here's What You Need To Know
My firm has handled more dram shop cases than any other in Texas. With 30 years of experience behind me, I have seen countless examples of bars that fail to follow alcohol service regulations and the tragic consequences that can result. This issue is more rampant that people realize, and one of my goals is to bring it to the public's attention. One way I do this is by reviewing Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission complaint records and posting about my findings. If you think you may have a dram shop (liquor liability) claim and want to know how to proceed, please call me at (855) 326-0000.
Coach's And Cowboy's is a nightclub, sports bar, and music venue located in Tyler, Texas. Popular with fans of country music, the bar offers live shows featuring local artists every Wednesday. Though Coach's And Cowboy's has established a strong reputation, it has also managed to attract the attention of the TABC in recent years due to a number of complaints alleging liquor law violations. Between 2015 and 2017, authorities conducted four investigations into the bar's alcohol service practices.
In my experience, it is uncommon for a bar without a history of run-ins with the TABC to end up on the hook for contributing to a wrongful death or injury. Virtually every bar I have ever sued was already on the authorities' radar. That's why I pay close attention to bars with several recent complaints against them. The more investigations a bar has had, the greater my concern is that it could one day cause an accident.
Note: Investigations are not proof of wrongdoing. However, if authorities investigate and fail to find evidence, it doesn't necessarily mean an establishment is innocent, either. The purpose of this article is simply to relay publicly-available information about incidents where the TABC has investigated Coach's And Cowboy's for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Coach's And Cowboy's Between 2015 and 2017
Tyler - 8374 Paulxy Dr Including 8380
Allegations:
On 04/10/2015, a concerned citizen filed a complaint with the TABC that alleged the bar sold alcohol to a minor.
Authorities followed up with an investigation shortly thereafter. For most liquor law violations, the TABC requires either video footage of the incident or eyewitness testimony from one of its agents in order to take action. In this particular instance, authorities had neither. As a result, the case came to a close on 05/06/2015.
A member of the Tyler community contacted the TABC on 01/08/2016, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person.
As mentioned previously, the TABC relies heavily on video evidence to determine the veracity of most allegations. Since authorities did not find any such proof to back up the claim, they could not take any action. Consequently, the case came to an end on 02/16/2016.
Law enforcement reached out to the TABC on 10/14/2016, alleging again that the bar sold alcohol to a drunk customer.
Just like in the last investigation, there was no video evidence to back up the accusation. Unable to take any further action, investigators closed this case on 12/09/2016.
On 03/28/2017, a citizen complaint accused the bar of selling alcohol both to an intoxicated person and during prohibited hours.
The ensuing investigation failed to uncover any corroborating evidence. With no other course of action available, authorities decided to end their efforts on the case on 05/11/2017.
Texas Law Says Accident Victims Can Sue Bad Bars
If you would like to learn more about Texas dram shop law (i.e. lawsuits against bars who play a role in injurious or fatal accidents), please visit our Texas Dram Shop Law Info Page.
