Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Gorzugis? Here's What You Need To Know
My firm has sued more bars for liquor law violations than any other in Texas. In my over 30 years of experience, I have repeatedly seen just how serious the consequences can be when bars over-serve alcohol. While the public might see or hear about a drunk driving accident from time to time, it's much less common to hear about the role that irresponsible bars play in those accidents. One of my goals is to raise awareness about the extent of this problem. To this end, I dedicate some of my time to investigating Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission complaint records and reporting what I find here on my website. If you think you might have a dram shop (liquor liability) claim and would like to learn about how to proceed, please call me at (855) 326-0000.
Gorzugis is a bar located in Uvalde, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2017 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 Gorzugis for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Gorzugis Between 2017 and 2019
Uvalde - 529 E Main Street Uvalde, TX 78801
Allegations:
On 06/29/2017, a concerned citizen filed a complaint with the TABC, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to both a minor and an intoxicated person.
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 08/12/2017.
A member of the Uvalde community reached out to the TABC on 08/11/2017, claiming that a breach of the peace (typically a fight) occurred.
Upon investigating, authorities were able to find evidence to corroborate the claim, which they classified as an administrative violation. After deciding not to hand down any punishment, investigators closed the case on 09/07/2017.
Law enforcement contacted the TABC on 12/15/2018, accusing the bar of selling alcohol to an intoxicated person.
Even when the source of a complaint is a police officer, the TABC still requires corroborating evidence before taking action. Since authorities had none in this investigation, they had no choice but to close the case on 02/20/2019.
The TABC received a second law enforcement complaint on 03/28/2019, alleging that staff sold alcohol to a patron who was already drunk.
Due to a lack of video evidence, investigators could not determine the veracity of the claim. Unable to take any further action, they decided to end their work on the case on 06/12/2019.
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.
