The Haggard Law Firm’s Michael Haggard and Kimberly Wald obtained a $1 Million pre-suit policy limit settlement in a dram shop case in Miami-Dade County, Florida.
The names of the parties involved are confidential per the terms of the settlement.
The victim, John Doe, was crossing a highway early in the morning when a drunk driver ran him over and killed him. The driver had been drinking at a club earlier that night. Wald and Haggard argued that the club knew or should have known about the driver’s habitual drinking activities and should have never continued to serve him alcohol at the club.
John Doe was survived by his wife and two minor children.
Florida law provides that if establishments such as hotels, restaurants, or bars knowingly serve minors or habitual abusers of alcohol, they may become liable for any injuries or damage resulting from that patron’s intoxication. That word “knowingly” is what makes the Florida statute so restrictive.
Despite the challenges posed by state law, The Haggard Law Firm has successfully represented victims of restaurant or bar negligence for three decades. The successful conclusion of these cases has served to more clearly define the responsibilities of establishments serving liquor.
