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The holiday season is officially here. There are many parties people attend in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania. Alcohol is often served at these parties. Guests, including minors, may get drunk, get behind a wheel and cause a DUI accident. This article will discuss a social host’s liability if a minor guest drives drunk and causes a car accident in Pennsylvania.
Related DUI Accident Case Result: $4.4 million for families of 2 deceased passengers. See more case results by our Philadelphia car accident injury lawyers.
Consider the following example. An individual is hosting a holiday party for his friends at his home in South Philadelphia. He provides alcohol at the party. One of his guests who is under the age of 21 starts to get drunk as the night progresses and becomes visibly intoxicated. Despite knowing that his minor friend is intoxicated, he continues to serve his friend beer thinking that his friend will just have to crash at his house. However, he doesn’t take the friend’s car keys away from him. The friend leaves the party without anyone noticing. He gets behind the wheel and starts to drive home. As a result, he runs a red light at an intersection and collides with another car. The driver of the other car is seriously injured. The drunk driver is also seriously injured.
The victim of this Philadelphia DUI accident has rights against the minor drunk driver and the host of the party. The victim can financially recover from the drunk driver, as well as from the host.
The host is liable in this situation pursuant to the “social host liability” doctrine in PA, which usually only applies in situations where a social host/private individual knowingly served alcohol to a minor or someone under the legal drinking age. The host knew that his underaged friend was intoxicated and continued to serve him alcohol. The host also knew that his friend drove himself to the party and would be driving after the party. As a result, the friend caused a car accident and injured another person. Therefore, the host is also liable for the other person’s injuries.
In addition to being liable for the other driver’s injuries, the host may also be liable for his friend’s injuries. Again, because the host served alcohol to his underaged friend when he was visibly intoxicated which led to the accident and his injuries, the host will most likely be held responsible.
Help After a Philadelphia, PA DUI Accident
If you need more legal info about a DUI car accident law in Philadelphia, please visit our car accident law library. Our car accident lawyers also offer FREE consultations. If you were in a Philadelphia car accident caused by a driver who was under the influence of alcohol, it is in your best interest to contact our car accident lawyers in Philadelphia. (866) 641-0806
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