What is the “dram shop law”?

The “dram shop law” is a law in Washington state that holds establishments that serve alcohol liable for damages caused by customers who have been served too much alcohol and then go on to hurt someone or cause property damage. The dram shop law imposes a duty on these establishments to not serve alcohol to those who have become visibly intoxicated, and to take appropriate steps to prevent someone from becoming over-intoxicated. Under the law, an establishment that serves alcohol can be held liable if it is proven that the business served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person and that person caused injury to someone else or damaged someone else’s property. This means that the injured person or property owner can seek damages from the establishment that served the alcohol to the intoxicated person. The dram shop law was created to discourage establishments from serving alcohol to people who are already visibly intoxicated, and to make sure that those who have been harmed by someone who was over-served have a way to seek compensation. This kind of law is an important part of alcohol-related injury prevention efforts in Washington.

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What is the “dram shop law”?

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