Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Carrigann's? Here's What You Need To Know
In the 30 years that I've been suing reckless bars for over-serving alcohol, I've handled hundreds of cases. My experience has shown me time and again just how many bars consistently fail to follow alcohol service regulations. While people might see or hear of a drunk driving accident now and then, it is less common for them to hear about the role that irresponsible bars play in those accidents. One of my goals is to increase the public's awareness of this issue. With that in mind, I dedicate some 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, please call me at (855) 326-0000.
Carrigann's is a bar and night club located in Seguin, Texas. While it has established itself as one of the most popular clubs in the city, it has also managed to attract a significant amount of TABC attention in the process due to multiple allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2017 and 2019, authorities conducted no fewer than five investigations into alcohol service practices at Carrrigann's.
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 cause 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 Carrigann's for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Carrigann's Between 2017 and 2019
Seguin - 3535 Hwy 123N Bypass
Allegations:
On 01/05/2017, the TABC received a complaint from an unnamed source, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to a patron under the age of 21.
Authorities followed up soon after with an investigation. 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 02/18/2017.
A concerned citizen filed a complaint on 12/08/2017, claiming that a breach of the peace (typically a fight) occurred, and that the bar sold alcohol to a minor as well as permitted the possession of drugs on the premises.
The TABC looked into the matter and found sufficient evidence to prove that the bar failed to report a breach of the peace. Rather than handing down any punishment, authorities chose to issue a written warning and ended their work on the case on 12/30/2017.
The next citizen complaint came on 01/23/2018, and included accusations of selling alcohol to both underage and intoxicated customers.
As mentioned previously, the TABC relies heavily on video footage to back up most claims of wrongdoing. Having no such evidence in this investigation, authorities could not take any action. Consequently, they wrapped up their efforts on 03/14/2018.
Law enforcement filed a complaint with the TABC on 01/23/2019, alleging that the bar alcohol to an intoxicated person and that a breach of the peace took place.
Once again, authorities conducted an inquiry into the allegations, but they were unable to find any hard proof of wrongdoing. With no other options available, the TABC closed the case on 03/08/2019.
A member of the Seguin community submitted a complaint on 10/21/2019, claiming that the bar sold alcohol to a minor.
The ensuing investigation was successful at proving that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person, which authorities classified as both a criminal and administrative violation. After deciding not to hand down any punishment, the TABC closed the case on 12/15/2019.
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.
