A medical, legal, and
informational resource
for persons dealing with
traumatic brain injury.

How Was Your Brain Injured?

Unlawful Alcohol Sales

Liability for the sale and consumption of alcohol causing brain injury, are divided into three large groups:

1. Unlawful alcohol sale to minors:
   
   Alcohol related crashes in the United States cost the public an estimated 114 billion-dollars in 2000. In 2007, 92% of 12 graders reported that alcohol is very easy or“fairly easy”to get. It is illegal to sell alcohol to minor and if the minor or others are injured as a result, the seller of that alcohol can be held responsible.
   
   Every state in the United States forbids the sale of alcohol to persons under 21-years of age. Nearly every state gives an injured person the right to sue an establishment which negligently sold the alcohol to a minor. Issues as to what type of identification was given to the liquor store, grocery store, or other outlet or whether such identification was asked for are issues to consider. In every part of the country there are vendors of alcohol who are known to high school students to be an easy”place to buy alcohol. Such vendors often "look the other way" and fail to properly ID persons who look under 30, which is the industry standard. Remember, if you have a friend or relative injured because of illegal alcohol to a minor, time is of the essence. Video surveillance of the purchase is destroyed within 10 days. Other evidence needs to be obtained quickly.
   
   
2. Over service of alcohol to someone who appears intoxicated:
   
   
3. Unlawful providing of alcohol to minors by homeowners:
   
   In most states, parents and homeowners who provide alcohol to persons under 21 can be held responsible if that minor is injured as a result of intoxication or injures another as a result of intoxication. Many states have a "Open House Party" and/or "a social gathering at a residence" statute which makes a homeowner responsible for providing alcohol in social gatherings involving underage individuals. If you have a friend or loved one who has been injured by a driver under 21, you must determine how that person obtained the alcohol. Likewise, adults and parents can be held negligent for the "entrustment" of a vehicle, motorcycle, ATV or other modes of transportation to underage persons they knew or should have known consumed alcohol.
   
   Attorneys and other family members of brain injured persons often overlook the possibility that a violation of alcohol sales can and should be looked into. If you have a friend or loved one with a brain injury where persons under 21 were involved in, in any way, an inquiry into the source of the alcohol needs to be done by an attorney who is an expert in handling these complex cases.
   
   
   Talk to a lawyer experienced in alcohol injury and brain injury cases resulting from the unlawful sale of alcohol.
   
   To speak with Mr. Igou about your injury, please fill out the information below. The information is privileged and secure.

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