Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Last Call? 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.
Last Call is a bar located in Pflugerville, Texas. While most of its visitors are locals who come to socialize at the bar or over a game of pool, it has also attracted a number of visits from the TABC in recent times due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2017 and 2019, authorities have conducted three investigations into alcohol service practices at Last Call.
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 Last Call for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Last Call Between 2017 and 2019
Pflugerville - 1615 Grand Avenue Parkway Suite 212
Allegations:
On 06/06/2017, a concerned citizen filed a complaint with the TABC, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person.
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 07/12/2017.
Law enforcement reached out to the TABC on 08/03/2018, charging the bar with selling alcohol to a drunk patron.
The TABC launched an investigation into the matter, finding sufficient evidence to corroborate the claim. Though authorities issued citations for both criminal and administrative violations, they for some reason declined to hand down any punishment. On 05/30/2019, the case came to a close.
A member of the Pflugerville community contacted the TABC on 08/19/2019, claiming that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person and that staff was drinking on the job. The second allegation is more serious than it might appear at first glance. 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.
Though authorities spent well over a month working on the case, due to a lack of video evidence, they were unable to determine the veracity of the claims. With no other course of action available, they decided to close the case on 10/02/2019.
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.
