Grossman Law Offices has more experience litigating Texas Dram Shop cases than any other firm in the state. In fact, at any given moment, at least half of our firm's docket consists of Dram Shop cases. While we obtain some through other channels, the majority of these cases are referred to us by other firms who may not feel comfortable with the unique legal questions these matters raise. In this article, we'll discuss our firm's experience and track record in this area of the law, as well as the details of how referring a Dram Shop case to us works.
Our Experience With Texas Dram Shop Cases
When we say that our firm has extensive experience with Dram Shop, we're not just blowing smoke. We've litigated literally hundreds of Texas Dram Shop cases. We've won cases against a wide variety of nationwide restaurant chains, including Applebee's, Chili's, Hooters, Sherlock's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Taco Cabana, just to name a few. Simply put, no one in Texas has more Dram Shop experience than we do.
Who Typically Refers Dram Shop Cases to Our Firm?
As you might expect, these cases are typically referred to us by other personal injury firms that are reluctant to take on the risk of litigating highly technical claims in an area of the law they're unfamiliar with. However, these cases aren't only referred to us by personal injury attorneys. A good number of our dram shop cases are actually referred by attorneys in other specialties, including family law, probate, and criminal defense. Simply put, if you're a lawyer who thinks you might have a Dram Shop case, call us--we're interested.
How Do I Know If I Have A Dram Shop Case?
Our rule of thumb is that if your case involved any injury or loss of life, as well as alcohol consumption, there's at least enough possibility of a Dram Shop case that we want to hear from you. We encourage you not to pre-qualify your case's potential eligibility. Instead, just give us a call, and we'll let you know on the spot if there's a potential Dram Shop cause of action or not.
Case in point: a criminal defense attorney recently called and explained he had a client he represented in a case where the client was over-served, after which he got into a wreck, received a traumatic brain injury, and was arrested for DUI. The attorney wasn't sure if the client would even have standing for a claim against the bar. We informed him that the Texas Dram Shop law doesn't distinguish between drunk drivers who injure themselves and those who harm others in a crash. (This is because the policy intent of the statute was to broadly discourage the over-service of alcohol by providers, not to punish drunk drivers per se.)
As you may have gathered by now, we could talk about Dram Shop law for hours, but we know your time is valuable. If you'd like to know more, check out our comprehensive guide to the subject.
The Logistics of Referring A Case To Us
We'll keep this part very simple: You call us. We'll verify that we want the case, send you a very simple Consent to Associate Counsel form and an email with details of our split fee arrangement. You reply with "I Agree." We'll make sure to pick up a copy of the file, and we're off to the races.
We'll Take Good Care of Your Clients
You may be concerned about putting your clients at the mercy of an unfamiliar firm. One of the most embarrassing things for an attorney to endure is referring their clients to someone who does a terrible job holding the client's hand and keeping them in the loop about the progress of their case. (We know from experience, because we've unwittingly put our clients through that when referring out our own cases.)
But we can assure you, you won't be in that position after referring a client to us. As many of those we've represented can attest, we strive to keep our clients well-informed about every aspect of their case, leaving them with the positive feeling that comes from being treated with honesty and respect. In fact, our work impressed one client so much that she agreed to record a video testimonial discussing her case and her experiences.
Does Grossman Law Offices Really Win Dram Shop Cases?
Unquestionably, the answer is yes. We're constantly told that Dram Shop cases are unwinnable, but we must not have gotten the memo, because somehow we just keep on winning them anyway. Yes, they're challenging cases and not every firm is cut out to handle them, but we're better at successfully holding negligent bars accountable than almost anyone else.
Our commitment to Dram Shop law isn't financial. We have a personal stake in them as well. Our Dram Shop guru, Keith Purdue, lost his father to a drunk driver who had been over-served, so he understands the pain that a negligent bar and drunk driver can cause for a family. We're also proud of our partnership with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, including our founder Michael Grossman being named to MADD's North Texas Advisory Board. In short, these cases are important to us, and our combination of strong motivation and extensive knowledge of this area of the law make us the ideal partner for you in any potential Dram Shop case.
If you think you might have a potential Dram Shop case to refer, please give us a call at (855) 326-0000 anytime.