Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Saddleback Saloon? Here's What You Need To Know
My firm has handled more dram shop cases than any other in Texas. With 30 years of experience behind me, I have seen countless examples of bars that fail to follow alcohol service regulations and the tragic consequences that can result. This issue is more rampant that people realize, and one of my goals is to bring it to the public's attention. One way I do this is by reviewing Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission complaint records and posting about my findings. If you think you may have a dram shop (liquor liability) claim and want to know how to proceed, please call me at (855) 326-0000.
Saddleback Saloon is a bar located in Sealy, Texas. It is one of the most popular bars in the town's historic district, and regularly features game nights and live music. Though it has a solid reputation with locals, in recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC on multiple occasions due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2015 and 2018, authorities conducted three separate investigations into alcohol service practices at Saddleback Saloon.
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 Saddleback Saloon for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Saddleback Saloon Between 2015 and 2018
Sealy - 207 Main Street
Allegations:
On 12/03/2015, a concerned citizen reached out to the TABC and alleged that staff was drinking on the job and sold alcohol to both a minor and an intoxicated person.
The TABC looked into the matter and found sufficient evidence to prove that staff was in fact drinking on the job, which it classified as an administrative violation. After handing down an unspecified civil penalty, authorities closed the case on 01/30/2016.
A citizen complaint, filed on 07/02/2018, accused staff of being drunk on the job and selling alcohol to a minor and a drunk patron.
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 09/02/2018.
A concerned citizen filed a complaint on 11/07/2018, alleging two counts of staff drinking on the job.
As mentioned in the previous investigation summary, the TABC relies heavily on video evidence to determine the veracity of most claims of wrongdoing. As authorities had no such evidence in this investigation, there decided to end their work on the case on 01/16/2019.
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.
