Liquor Law Liability

In 2010, Massachusetts lawmakers passed a law that requires restaurants, bars, nightclubs and other institutions serving alcoholic beverages to carry liquor liability insurance. This law evolves from dram shop liability cases where it is routinely found that these establishments continue to serve alcohol to individuals who are clearly intoxicated and therefore dangerous to themselves and others. For the victims of the intoxicated this may provide a means for them to recover financial compensation for the serious injuries they have sustained. A Springfield personal injury attorney from our firm can be contacted for help with your personal injury case against intoxicated persons and the institutions that contributed.

Stipulations of the Law

Before MGL Chapter 138 § 12 was passed in 2010, requiring restaurants and bar owners to obtain liquor liability insurance was not mandatory in our state. However, it has been years since this law was instated, and now facilities throughout Massachusetts are expected to follow the law's stipulations to a tee. Accordingly, restaurants and bar owners are required to carry liquor liability insurance worth no less than $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident. Put simply, policy holders must provide no less than $250,000 worth of coverage for the bodily injury or death caused to one person and no less than $500,000 worth of coverage for every incident involving bodily injury or death that takes place within the bar or restaurant.

Now, any person or business entity applying for a liquor license in the state is expected to provide a certificate indicating that they have already obtained their liquor liability insurance. This is considered part of the application process and serves as a true testament to the strictness of enforceability associated with the law. In fact, when the law was first instated a License Commission was established to provide outreach to previous holders of liquor licenses in the area. In addition, existing license holders were scheduled to renew their licenses, with inclusion of their new insurance policies, in the following calendar year.

To get started with your case, contact a Springfield personal injury lawyer from our law firm.