Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Cowboys Beer & Wine? Here's What You Need To Know
I've sued more reckless bars for failing to adhere to liquor laws than anyone else in the state of Texas. With three decades of experience and hundreds of cases behind me, I have seen just how frequently bars put profit before safety and over-serve alcohol, in spite of their legal obligation to serve responsibly. While people might see or hear of drunk driving accidents from time to time, they don't tend to hear as much about the role that irresponsible bars play in those accidents. In order to raise more awareness of this topic, I spend a portion of my time researching the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's complaint database and writing about my findings here on my website. If you think you might have a dram shop (liquor liability) claim, don't hesitate to call my office at (855) 326-0000.
Cowboys Beer & Wine is a liquor store located in Fort Worth, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted a significant amount of attention from the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2015 and 2019, authorities conducted no fewer than five investigations into the store's alcohol service practices.
In my three decades of legal practice, rarely have I seen bar end up involved in a wrongful death or injury case that didn't have a history of complaints on file with TABC. Almost every bar I've ever sued was already on the authorities radar, so when I see a bar that has been investigated several times over a short period, it raises my concern that it could one day play a part in 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 Cowboys Beer & Wine for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Cowboys Beer & Wine Between 2015 and 2019
Fort Worth - 2701 N Main Street
Allegations:
On 11/29/2016, an anonymous complaint to the TABC alleged that the store sold alcohol to a minor.
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 12/20/2016.
A concerned citizen filed a complaint with the TABC on 02/17/2015, claiming that the store again sold alcohol to an underage customer.
As mentioned in the previous 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 04/01/2015.
A member of the Fort Worth community reached out to the TABC on 09/21/2015, alleging that the store sold alcohol to a minor.
Upon investigation, authorities were able to confirm the allegation, which they classified as both an administrative and criminal violation. After handing down various penalties, authorities closed the case on 11/14/2015.
The TABC received another citizen complaint on 01/04/2017 that claimed the store sold alcohol to a customer under the age of 21.
On this occasion, investigators were not able to determine the veracity of the claim due to a lack of video evidence. Unable to take any action, authorities closed the case on 02/18/2017.
A further citizen complaint came on 09/03/2019, alleging as usual that the store sold alcohol to a minor.
Just as in the previous investigation, authorities did not uncover any corroborating evidence. As a result, they were left with no choice but to conclude their efforts, which they did on 09/28/2019.
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.
