Even though New Yorkers have no local team playing in Super Bowl LIV, many will still be throwing and attending parties to celebrate the big game. Still more will flock to their favorite neighborhood watering holes and sports bars to catch the action on big screens while tossing back a few drinks.
However you plan to celebrate this year, remember to be mindful of New York’s dram shop laws regarding social liability.
Hosts must be mindful of their guests’ sobriety and not allow knowingly intoxicated people to drive away drunk. Bars are even more vulnerable, as they can be held legally liable if a patron kills or injures someone while driving drunk after leaving the drinking establishment.
Private hosts who allow minors to drink on their premises can also face severe penalties for their negligence if those minors hurt themselves or others when they leave drunk.
There’s nothing wrong with having a few drinks with adults of legal drinking age while watching the Super Bowl. But hosts can and should do all that they can to prevent guests from leaving intoxicated and harming themselves or others.
If you get into a collision with a drunk driver who was leaving a Super Bowl party after being overserved, you have the right to seek justice in the New York civil court system. This is true whether or not the intoxicated person was convicted or even arrested on any charges related to the accident.
Learn more about the legal options that you have in the wake of an accident that caused injuries to you or a loved one.
