Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Water Hole? Here's What You Need To Know
My firm has sued more bars for liquor law violations than any other in Texas. In my over 30 years of experience, I have repeatedly seen just how serious the consequences can be when bars over-serve alcohol. While the public might see or hear about a drunk driving accident from time to time, it's much less common to hear about the role that irresponsible bars play in those accidents. One of my goals is to raise awareness about the extent of this problem. To this end, I dedicate some of my time to investigating Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission complaint records and reporting what I find here on my website. If you think you might have a dram shop (liquor liability) claim and would like to learn about how to proceed, please call me at (855) 326-0000.
Water Hole is a night club located in Wichita Falls, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2017 and 2018 alone, authorities conducted two separate investigations into the club's alcohol service practices.
In my experience, it's 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 contribute to an accident.
Note: Investigations are not proof of wrongdoing. However, if authorities investigate and fail to find evidence of a violation, 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 Water Hole for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Water Hole Between 2017 and 2018
Wichita Falls - 1415 Old Iowa Park Road Suite B
Allegations:
On 08/25/2017, a concerned citizen filed a complaint with the TABC, alleging that staff was drinking on the job, sold alcohol to a drunk person, and that a breach of the peace (typically a fight) occurred.
The ensuing investigation found sufficient evidence to confirm that the club failed to report a breach of the peace and sold alcohol to a drunk person, both of which authorities classified as administrative violations. After handing down unspecified penalties, the TABC closed the case on 10/21/2017.
A member of the Wichita Falls community reached out to the TABC on 06/26/2018, accusing the bar of selling alcohol to an obviously intoxicated customer.
Authorities 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 investigation, authorities decided to close the case on 07/26/2018.
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.
