Texas Wrongful Death Accident Lawsuit Names Bar as Defendant for Serving Drunk Driver

A Texas wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar for serving too many alcoholic beverages to a man who killed two teens in a drunk-driving accident after leaving the restaurant.

On October 14, 2008, Adreanna Norrid and Courtney Mengwasser, two high school students from Witita Falls, Texas, were killed when a pickup truck driven by a drunk driver collided with the car they were passengers in. Michael Nason, the driver of the pickup truck, was also killed in the accident and his passenger was seriously injured, as was the driver in the teens’ car.

Ercilia Velora Norrid, the mother of one of the teens who lost their life in the fatal auto accident, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Wingsport LP, which does business as Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar. The complaint alleges dram shop liability against the bar for repeatedly serving alcoholic beverages to Nason, who had a blood alcohol level of more than three times the legal limit in Texas.

Texas is one of several states that has dram shop laws which can be used to establish liability against a bar for serving alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person or a minor who subsequently causes a death or personal injury to someone else.

Dram shop liability is designed to protect the public from irresponsible serving of alcohol to minors or intoxicated people, and the bar or tavern can be held responsible for damages caused by a drunk driver, even if the individuals injured had no relationship or connection to the bar before the acccident.

The wrongful death accident lawsuit alleges that employees of Buffalo Wild Wings did not have the proper training or current certification cards for serving alcohol in the state. The suit also claims that the company encouraged its employees to ignore guidelines for serving alcohol, endangering the lives of other people by allowing intoxicated customers to drive home.

The family is seeking damages of up to $7 million dollars in the accident lawsuit, including damages for past and future mental anguish, loss of their loved one, funeral expenses, medical expenses and other damages.