Considering A Dram Shop Case Against B & N Sports Bar? Here's What You Need To Know

For three decades, I've been holding bars accountable for over-serving alcohol. In the hundreds of cases I've handled, I've seen just how widespread irresponsible alcohol service is, as well as the tragedies that often follow in its wake. While people might see or hear about drunk driving accidents from time to time, rarely do they hear about the role that reckless bars play in those accidents. In order to draw more attention to this issue, I dedicate a portion of my time to investigating the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's complaint records and reporting my findings here on my website. If you believe you may have a dram shop claim, please call my office at (855) 326-0000.

B & N Sports Bar is located in San Antonio, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2015 and 2019, authorities conducted four separate investigations into the bar's alcohol service practices.

In my experience, it's 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 contribute to an accident.

Note: Investigations are not proof of wrongdoing. However, if authorities investigate and fail to find evidence of a violation, 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 B & N Sports Bar for criminal or administrative violations.

TABC Investigations of B & N Sports Bar Between 2015 and 2019

San Antonio - 3705 Roosevelt Avenue

Allegations:

On 03/14/2015, a concerned citizen filed a complaint with the TABC, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person, allowed a minor to possess or consume alcohol, permitted staff to sell or possess drugs on the premises, and allowed customers to drink during prohibited hours. Additionally, the complaint alleged that gambling occurred on the premises.

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 04/07/2015.

A member of the San Antonio community reached out to the TABC on 12/18/2015, claiming that the bar permitted the possession of drugs on the premises and that a breach of the peace (typically a fight) occurred.

Upon investigation, authorities found sufficient evidence to determine that the bar failed to report a breach of the peace, which they classified as an administrative violation. After issuing a written warning, the TABC closed the case on 03/01/2016.

A staff member contacted the TABC on 02/01/2017, alleging that a breach of the peace occurred. While it might seem strange that a staff member should be the source of a TABC complaint, employees have a legal obligation to report any violations they see in the workplace.

As mentioned in the first investigation summary, the TABC relies heavily on video footage to back up most claims of wrongdoing. Since authorities had no such evidence in this investigation, they could not take any action, leading to their decision to close the case on 03/09/2017.

Law enforcement lodged a TABC complaint on 07/09/2019, claiming that staff was drinking on the job and that a breach of the peace occurred, which the bar failed to report (a separate violation in itself).

TABC agents conducted an inquiry, but due to a lack of video evidence, they could not determine the veracity of the claim. Even though the source of the complaint was a police officer, investigators could not take any further action, leading to their decision to close the case on 09/24/2019.

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.