Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Luther's Cafe? Here's What You Need To Know
I've been suing irresponsible bars for over-serving alcohol for 30 years. My experience handling hundreds of cases has repeatedly shown me just how many bars fail to follow alcohol service regulations, as well as the tragedies that all too often result. 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 reckless bars play in those accidents. In order to call more attention to this issue, I dedicate a portion 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, don't hesitate to call me at (855) 326-0000.
Luther's Cafe is a restaurant, cocktail bar, and entertainment venue located in San Antonio, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the TABC's attention on a number of occasions due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2016 and 2019, authorities conducted four investigations into the bar's alcohol service practices.
In my experience, it is 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, 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 Luther's Cafe for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Luther's Cafe Between 2017 and 2019
San Antonio - 1503 N Main
Allegations:
Law enforcement contacted the TABC on 05/17/2016, alleging that a breach of the peace (typically a fight) occurred, and that the bar failed to report it (a violation in itself).
Authorities looked into the matter, but failed to turn up any hard evidence of wrongdoing. Unable to take any action, they decided to close the case on 07/03/2016.
A concerned citizen filed a complaint on 01/09/2019, claiming that staff sold drugs on the premises and sold alcohol to an obviously intoxicated customer.
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. Since authorities had neither in this investigation, they could not determine the veracity of the claim. As a result, they closed the case on 02/22/2019.
On 06/04/2019, a citizen complaint brought the TABC back to investigate an allegation of staff drinking on the job.
The ensuing investigation was not successful at turning up any hard evidence of a criminal or administrative violation. Unable to take any further action, authorities concluded their work on the case on 08/14/2019.
A member of the San Antonio community reached out to the TABC on 08/14/2019, accusing staff of drinking on the job and selling alcohol to an intoxicated customer.
Due to a lack of video evidence, the TABC could not confirm the validity of the claim and could thus take no action. Consequently, the investigation came to a close on 10/08/2019.
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.
