[[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Answer","name":"Answer Question","text":"Alabama passed the original Dram Shop Act in 1909 in response to growing public concerns about intoxication, resulting in Prohibition from 1920 to 1933. Writing about the original act, the Alabama Supreme Court described its objective as \u201cto correct the evils resulting from intemperate indulgence in intoxicating liquors.\u201d  A subsequent court case in 1991 interpreted the law to apply a very high liability standard to businesses serving alcohol. The law could deter such dangerous practices by holding drinking establishments financially accountable for negligently serving an intoxicated person who subsequently harmed others.  The legislature recently passed reforms to the Alabama Dram Shop Act to lessen the liability standard, making it easier for restaurants and bars to afford liability insurance. Before these reforms, only three insurers were willing to provide liability insurance to establishments serving alcohol in Alabama \u2013 with one threatening to pull out of college towns like Auburn and Tuscaloosa. Liability policies meeting the state-required $100,000 minimum could cost as much as $35,000 annually, which many businesses found cost-prohibitive.  Under the new law, plaintiffs must prove with evidence that the business owner knowingly served alcohol to an individual who was visibly intoxicated at the time of service. They must also prove that the business\u2019s service was the proximate cause of injury or death.","@id":"https:\/\/www.gartlaninjurylaw.com\/blog\/alabama-dram-shop-law\/#Answer"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Answer","name":"Answer Question1","text":"Alabama\u2019s statute of limitations establishes a two-year deadline for filing a Dram Shop Act lawsuit.","@id":"https:\/\/www.gartlaninjurylaw.com\/blog\/alabama-dram-shop-law\/#Answer1"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Answer","name":"Answer Question2","text":"Under the Dram Shop Act, someone injured by a drunk person\u2019s harmful conduct in incidents other than motor vehicle accidents may also seek compensation from the establishment that knowingly sold or served the alcohol. This includes incidents such as the following:  Assault and battery,Slip and fall accidents, Alcohol poisoning, Sexual assault and harassment","@id":"https:\/\/www.gartlaninjurylaw.com\/blog\/alabama-dram-shop-law\/#Answer2"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Why Did Alabama Enact the Dram Shop Act?","acceptedAnswer":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.gartlaninjurylaw.com\/blog\/alabama-dram-shop-law\/#Answer"},"@id":"https:\/\/www.gartlaninjurylaw.com\/blog\/alabama-dram-shop-law\/#Question"},{"@type":"Question","name":"How Long Do I Have to File a Dram Shop Act Lawsuit in Alabama?","acceptedAnswer":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.gartlaninjurylaw.com\/blog\/alabama-dram-shop-law\/#Answer1"},"@id":"https:\/\/www.gartlaninjurylaw.com\/blog\/alabama-dram-shop-law\/#Question1"},{"@type":"Question","name":"Are Drunk Driving Accidents the Only Accidents a Business or Person Can Be Held Liable For?","acceptedAnswer":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.gartlaninjurylaw.com\/blog\/alabama-dram-shop-law\/#Answer2"},"@id":"https:\/\/www.gartlaninjurylaw.com\/blog\/alabama-dram-shop-law\/#Question2"}],"name":"What is the Alabama Dram Shop Act","@id":"https:\/\/www.gartlaninjurylaw.com\/blog\/alabama-dram-shop-law\/#FAQPage"}],{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.gartlaninjurylaw.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What is the Alabama Dram Shop Act","item":"https:\/\/www.gartlaninjurylaw.com\/blog\/alabama-dram-shop-law\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]