The Haggard Firm’s Adam Finkel and Michael Haggard secured a $2 million settlement in a dram shop liability case. Finkel and Haggard, along with co-counsel Gregory P. Lee of Texas, successfully held two negligent bars accountable after they served alcohol to underage patrons, leading to a devastating crash.
(click here to learn more about co-counseling with The Haggard Law Firm)
What Happened?
In the summer of 2021, 17-year-old Brody Perque joined a friend’s family on a trip to Orlando, Florida. On the night of August 13, 2021, Brody and his friend borrowed a rental car and attempted to enter downtown Orlando bars using fake IDs. Despite being visibly underage, they were allowed into Saddle Up All American Bar, where they were served alcohol with little to no age verification. Later, they moved across the street to Aero Rooftop Bar & Lounge, where staff briefly checked their out-of-state IDs, scanned them, and let them in.The two continued drinking before leaving and getting back into the rental car. Tragically, they crashed. Brody was ejected through the windshield and pinned beneath the car’s scalding-hot exhaust pipe, suffering severe burn injuries.
Legal Action: Holding Bars Accountable for Overserving Minors
The personal injury lawyers at The Haggard Firm filed a personal injury lawsuit sounding in dram shop liability against Saddle Up All American Bar and Aero Rooftop Bar & Lounge. The case argued that both establishments:
- Failed to properly verify IDs before serving alcohol
- Neglected their legal responsibility to prevent underage drinking
- Violated their own policies and procedures regarding ID checks
The Defense’s Argument
The defendant bars claimed that Brody and his friend presented fake IDs, and Aero Rooftop even successfully scanned the IDs. However, through extensive investigation, our attorneys uncovered evidence proving the bars’ negligence.One of the most critical aspects of the case was our ability to use Aero Rooftop’s own training experts as their own witnesses. Haggard and Finkel anticipated that these experts would have confirmed that Aero Rooftop failed to follow the proper procedures that they were trained to implement.
$2 Million+ Settlement: Justice for the Victim
Facing overwhelming evidence, both bars agreed to pay their full $1 million insurance policy limits.This settlement also included the maximum insurance payout from Brody’s friend and his mother, who had rented the vehicle. The settlement total $2,055,055.00.
Why This Case Matters
This case serves as a reminder of the importance of dram shop laws, which hold bars and establishments accountable for overserving alcohol to minors or visibly intoxicated individuals. The Haggard Firm’s attorneys are committed to fighting for victims and their families when negligence leads to preventable tragedies.
Contact The Haggard Firm for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one has been injured due to a drunk driving accident, overserving of alcohol, or negligence by a bar or restaurant, you may have a case under dram shop laws.
📞 Contact The Haggard Firm today for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. Let us fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.
