Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Salud? 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.
Salud is a bar and grill located in San Antonio, Texas. Known for its wide selection of tequilas, it has established a strong following since opening in 2005. However, in recent years, it has also managed to attract a substantial amount of attention from the TABC due to a number of complaints alleging liquor law violations. Between 2018 and 2019 alone, authorities conducted no fewer than five investigations into alcohol service practices at Salud.
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 Salud for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Salud Between 2018 and 2019
San Antonio - 8123 Broadway Suite D
Allegations:
On 07/18/2018, the TABC received a complaint from a concerned citizen who alleged that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person.
Authorities followed up with an investigation into the matter, but failed to find any corroborating evidence. 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 08/09/2018.
A member of the San Antonio community filed a complaint on 01/17/2019, alleging that a staff member was intoxicated and that the bar served alcohol to a drunk person.
The ensuing investigation was able to confirm the allegations, for which it issued citations and handed down an unspecified penalty. On 02/08/2019, the case concluded.
The next citizen complaint, filed on 02/08/2019, charged that staff at the bar was drinking on the job. This type of allegation is more serious than it might appear on the surface. 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.
As mentioned previously, the TABC relies heavily on video evidence to determine the veracity of most allegations. As there was no such evidence available, investigators were unable to take any action. Consequently, the case came to a close on 04/03/2019.
On 07/11/2019, a concerned citizen reached out to the TABC and claimed that staff was intoxicated.
Like in the last investigation, authorities did not have video footage to support the claim. With no other course of action available, they decided to shut the case on 09/03/2019.
Before the month was out, authorities were back to investigate once again on 11/12/2019, after a citizen complaint again alleged that staff was drinking on the job.
For the third time, the TABC was unable to prove that any criminal or administrative violation took place. On 12/12/2019, agents ended their efforts and closed the case.
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.
