Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Chalet Sports Bar and Grill? Here's What You Need To Know
Over the last 30 years, I've worked to hold reckless bars accountable for over-serving alcohol. My experience handling hundreds of cases has opened my eyes to just how many bars consistently fail to follow alcohol service regulations. 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 irresponsible bars play in those accidents. Since most people don't do what I do for a living, I make an effort to share my insights in hopes of calling more attention to this issue. One way I do this is by periodically reviewing Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission 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.
Chalet Sports Bar and Grill is located in Ingleside, Texas. In addition its food and drink menu, the bar is is known locally for offering both pool and poker tournaments. While Chalet Sports Bar and Grill has established a strong following, it has also managed to attract a good deal of attention from the TABC in the process. As a result of a number of complaints alleging liquor law violations, authorities investigated the bar three times between 2015 and 2018.
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 Chalet Sports Bar and Grill for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Chalet Sports Bar and Grill Between 2015 and 2018
Ingleside - 2627 Hwy 361
Allegations:
A concerned citizen contacted the TABC on 12/30/2015, alleging that staff was drinking on the job and that the bar sold alcohol to a person who was already intoxicated. The first allegation is more serious than it might appear on the surface. Staff has a legal obligation to stop serving alcohol to patrons who exhibit signs of being dangerously intoxicated. If staff itself is intoxicated, its ability to judge when to stop serving is impaired.
The TABC followed up soon thereafter 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 01/30/2016.
On 11/14/2017, a member of the Ingleside community reached out to the TABC and alleged that the bar permitted the possession of drugs on the premises, allowed staff to sell drugs, and sold alcohol to an intoxicated person.
Authorities looked into the matter, but failed to find any proof of wrongdoing. Unable to take any action, they decided to close the case on 01/06/2018.
An anonymous source submitted a complaint on 12/18/2018 that charged the bar with selling alcohol to a drunk person.
Due to a lack of video evidence, TABC agents could not determine the veracity of the claims. With no other course of action available, authorities ended this investigation on 01/29/2019.
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.
