Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Other Corner Bar? 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.
Other Corner Bar, also known as OCB, is located in Pampa, Texas. In recent years, it has come under the gaze of the TABC due to a number of complaints alleging liquor law violations. Between 2015 and 2018, authorities conducted three separate investigations into alcohol service practices at Other Corner Bar.
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 Other Corner Bar for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Other Corner Bar Between 2015 and 2018
Pampa - 2302 Alcock Street
Allegations:
On 04/30/2015, the TABC received a complaint from law enforcement, alleging that a breach of the peace (typically a fight) occurred.
TABC looked into the matter, but failed to find sufficient evidence to back up the allegation; the word of a police officer is not enough for them to take action. With no other options available, investigators wrapped up their work on the case on 06/20/2015.
A staff member filed a complaint on 03/03/2016, alleging a second breach of the peace. While it might seem strange that the source of the complaint was a staff member, employees must legally report any violations they see to the authorities.
Once again, the ensuing investigation failed to find any proof of a violation. As a result, authorities could not take any action and thus decided to close the case on 04/27/2016.
A member of the Pampa community reached out to the TABC on 04/12/2018, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to a minor.
While authorities did not find any evidence to corroborate the initial claim, they were able to determine that the bar sold alcohol to a drunk person. After issuing a citation for both a criminal and administrative violation, the TABC closed the case on 05/29/2018.
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.
