Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Martini Club? 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.
Martini Club is a bar and lounge located in San Antonio, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the TABC's attention on multiple occasions due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2018 and 2019 alone, authorities conducted three separate investigations into alcohol service practices at Martini Club.
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 Martini Club for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Martini Club Between 2018 and 2019
San Antonio - 8507 N McCullough A-9
Allegations:
On 05/29/2018, a concerned citizen filed a complaint with the TABC, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person.
The TABC 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 particular case, investigators decided to end their efforts on 06/17/2018.
A member of the San Antonio community reached out to the TABC on 07/22/2019, claiming that the bar allowed a patron to possess an un-invoiced alcoholic beverage.
Due to a lack of video evidence, authorities could not determine the veracity of the claim. Unable to take any further action, they chose to shut the case on 07/26/2019.
A citizen complaint, placed on 07/30/2019, accused the bar of selling alcohol to a patron who was already drunk.
The ensuing investigation did not manage to turn up any hard evidence of wrongdoing. As a result, authorities could not take any action and thus opted to close the case on 09/20/2019.
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.
