When a minor drinks alcohol and gets hurt, it becomes more than a tragedy—it becomes a legal issue. In Alabama, when someone serves alcohol to a person under 21 and that causes injury, the law allows the minor or their family to sue.
Who can face a lawsuit?
Bars, restaurants, and liquor stores break the law if they serve alcohol to anyone under 21. That action counts as a misdemeanor and can create liquor liability when harm results. The Civil Damages Act clearly states that providing alcohol to underage individuals is illegal. Private individuals, or social hosts, also face civil liability when they knowingly allow minors to drink on their property.
What must the minor prove?
To succeed in court, the injured minor or their family must prove that someone knowingly served alcohol to a person under 21. The injury or accident must result directly from that alcohol use. The person who served the alcohol must have known—or had reason to know—that the recipient was underage or visibly drunk. Alabama’s updated dram shop law stresses the need to show both knowledge of intoxication and a direct link between the alcohol service and the injury.
What damages can be recovered?
Alabama law lets individuals who have been harmed seek damages for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. In some cases, the court may award punitive damages. These awards have limits—either three times the compensatory damages or $1.5 million, whichever is less. Proving a strong connection between the alcohol service and the injury can lead to significant compensation.
When must a claim be filed?
You must file a dram shop or liquor liability lawsuit in Alabama within two years from the injury date. Filing quickly helps you keep important evidence like video footage or witness statements that support your case.
If you or someone you care about got hurt after someone illegally served alcohol to a minor, the law gives you a way to seek compensation. Alabama holds both businesses and social hosts responsible when they break liquor laws. If that illegal service led to harm, the responsible party faces liability for providing it.