Is There A Better Argument for Dram Shop Law Than a Fatal Crash With a Drunk Bartender?

Anyone who has spent time sitting at a bar may have seen its tender have a few drinks. Sometimes it's just a beer over the course of a shift, and other times she takes a few shots in a row with a group of regulars. Most bartenders know and maintain their limits like professionals (if...

New Data Shows Houston Leads the Nation in Distracted Driving

All the major Lone Star cities see their share of DWI injuries and fatalities every year, but as I've noted, Houston is the undisputed state champ in that department--not that the crown is anything to covet. Not content with that infamy, Houston apparently grew even more ambitious. Thanks to information recently put out by a...

Brandon Vezmar’s Lawsuit is Definitely Absurd, But Let’s Not Freak Out Or Anything

If you follow the news, you've probably seen a fluff article or two recently about a guy suing his movie date for texting during a showing of the movie Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. No matter what you think about the movie, it's well understood that bothering other theater patrons by talking or texting...

Seeing the Signs: How We Spot Possible Dram Shop Accidents

Drunk driving appears to be a blind spot in our national consciousness. I cannot think of a single person, no matter how contrarian, who could compellingly argue that this practice has positive benefits. It's dangerous, it's illegal, and it flies in the face of common sense. I doubt I need to be worried about some...

Brawl in the Mall: An Outbreak of Holiday Violence

I want to look at at an interesting phenomenon that happened on the day after Christmas: On December 26, over a dozen shopping malls suffered large-scale melee brawls on their premises. Boxing Day Mall Brawls December 26th is often a crowded day at the mall; shoppers have an extra day off and no specific plans,...

The Cost of Belonging: Hazing Injuries and the Law

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." So said Lord John Dahlberg-Acton in the 19th Century. Of his varied and highly-quotable commentaries as a historian and politician, this is the one that best stuck with us as a society. When placed in a position of absolute authority over their peers, people will often...

Bayer Plans to Buy Monsanto, Anti-GMO and Anti-Vax Go Crazy(er)

The pharmaceutical giant Bayer, Inc. has announced a $66 billion dollar buyout of Monsanto. While this buyout no doubt represents a significant and lucrative investment for the German corporation, it has raised a large battery of objections from concerned "citizen advocacy" groups who have long protested Monsanto. One such entity, the international protest group March...

New York Governor Bans Sex Offenders from Playing Pokémon Go

Recently I wrote about Pokémon Go, the new augmented-reality offering from Niantic, Incorporated. While the game offers a slew of incentives to exercise and make new friends in a time when children and adults are increasingly withdrawn thanks to technology, it also poses a variety of safety hazards due to the nature of its gameplay....

This is a Dangerous Way to Transport a Boat

Not even 2 day after a major news report about increase in deaths on our roads due to improperly transported cargo, what does someone at Grossman Law Offices spot driving down the road? This: Improper Cargo Transportation Costs Lives Images like this are both frustrating and infuriating. For most passenger cars, the back of the...

Compulsory Vaccinations: I Want My MMR

On July 1, California's state bill No. 277 went into action. This legislation effectively bans the admission of unvaccinated children to public schools for grades K-12. Children who have not been given the standard shots to help prevent serious diseases will not be allowed to attend school with their vaccinated peers. Laws like SB 277...

Examining The Validity of Pokémon Go Injury Claims

"It's all fun until someone loses an eye." Lately, I hear those words echo in my head whenever I contemplate the current Pokémon Go fad. Whattymon What? Pokémon Go is a downloadable smartphone-based app where the user plays the part of a "trainer," moving around the real world and attempting to catch cartoon animals (Pokémon)...