Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Vallarta Sports Bar? Here's What You Need To Know
I've been suing irresponsible bars for over-serving alcohol for 30 years. My experience handling hundreds of cases has repeatedly shown me just how many bars fail to follow alcohol service regulations, as well as the tragedies that all too often result. While people might see or hear about a drunk driving accident from time to time, they don't tend to hear about the role that reckless bars play in those accidents. In order to call more attention to this issue, I dedicate a portion of my time to reviewing the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's complaint records and reporting my findings here on my website. If you think you may have a dram shop (liquor liability) claim and have questions about how to proceed, don't hesitate to call me at (855) 326-0000.
Vallarta Sports Bar is located in Houston, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2019 and 2020 alone, authorities conducted two 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 Vallarta Sports Bar for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Vallarta Sports Bar Between 2019 and 2020
Houston - 5712 S Gessner Road 'G'
Allegations:
The TABC received a complaint from a concerned citizen on 11/18/2019, alleging that the bar sold alcohol both to a minor and during prohibit hours.
Authorities looked into the matter 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. Having neither in this investigation, authorities decided to close the case on 12/11/2019.
On 01/07/2020, a member of the Houston community reached out to the TABC, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated patron, a minor, and during prohibited hours.
Upon investigating, authorities were able to confirm that the bar sold alcohol to a minor, which they classified as both an administrative and criminal violation. For some reason, the TABC decided not to hand down any punishment for the violations, instead choosing to close the case without further action on 03/19/2020.
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.
