The Haggard Law Firm’s Pedro Echarte and co-counsel Michael Carmona of Friedland Carmona obtained a $1 Million policy limit settlement in a Miami-Dade County Bar/Liquor Liability Case or “dram shop” case (Florida Statutes § 768.125).
On August 10, 2020, Charilyn Martica Rodriguez went to work at Sandbar Sports Grill in Culter Bay, Florida. Like many prior occasions in the past, she consumed alcohol both during her shift and after her shift. Rodriguez became heavily intoxicated and was unable to make decisions for herself.
Tragically, she attempted to drive home and was killed when she crashed her car only miles from her house.
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Echarte and Carmona argued the defendent knew Charilyn was a habitual alcoholic. Despite that knowledge, the Defendant allowed her to become intoxicated and drive home. There was a history of social media posts and text messages with a manager of the bar, which they argued made it obvious the victim had a drinking problem and that Defendant knew or should have known about it.
Echarte and Carmona sent a policy limit demand to the Defendant at the time the lawsuit was filed. The Defendant and their insurance carrier agreed to pay the policy limits of $1 Million to resolve the case due to the evidence gathered during the Plaintiff’s initial investigation.
*Florida Statutes § 768.125 “Liability for injury or damage resulting from intoxication.—A person who sells or furnishes alcoholic beverages to a person of lawful drinking age shall not thereby become liable for injury or damage caused by or resulting from the intoxication of such person, except that a person who willfully and unlawfully sells or furnishes alcoholic beverages to a person who is not of lawful drinking age or who knowingly serves a person habitually addicted to the use of any or all alcoholic beverages may become liable for injury or damage caused by or resulting from the intoxication of such minor or person”
