How do you prove a bar over-served the driver?

Receipts, point-of-sale data, security video, witness statements, blood-alcohol results, and bartender testimony. Evidence disappears in days — preservation letters go out immediately.

Can I sue both the bar and the drunk driver?

Yes. Dram-shop and drunk-driver claims are pursued together. The bar’s liquor-liability insurance often pays where the driver’s personal policy is too small.

What if alcohol was served at a private home, not a bar?

Social-host liability is more limited than commercial dram shop, but claims exist when alcohol was served to an underage or visibly intoxicated guest who then injures someone. Screened case-by-case.

New York Dram Shop Lawyer

Reviewed by: Michael Alan Siddons, Esquire — LL.M (Taxation), member of the PA, NJ, MD, and NY bars.
Last reviewed: May 9, 2026. Content reflects current case-acceptance criteria and legal posture as of the review date.

New York Dram Shop / Liquor Liability Lawyers

If you or a loved one was injured by a drunk driver who had been over-served at a bar, restaurant, or event venue in New York, the venue can share liability for your damages. Free case review — no fee unless we recover. Call (610) 255-7500.

New York Dram Shop Law

New York’s Dram Shop Act (General Obligations Law §11-101) allows recovery against a server who illegally sold alcohol to a visibly intoxicated patron or to a minor, when that sale caused the injury.

Comparative-fault rule: New York applies pure comparative — you can recover regardless of fault, with your award reduced by your percentage.

Statute of limitations: 3 years from the date of injury.

Government claims: 90 days notice of claim under General Municipal Law §50-e.

Counties We Serve in New York

Our dram-shop attorneys handle claims throughout New York, including New York, Kings (Brooklyn), Queens, Bronx, Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, Putnam, Sullivan, and Ulster counties.

What to Do After a Drunk-Driver Crash in New York

Get medical care and a thorough trauma workup.
Identify where the at-fault driver had been drinking — receipts, social-media posts, friends with them.
Preserve security video by sending preservation letters to the bar/restaurant within days. Many systems overwrite footage in 7–30 days.
Document the at-fault driver’s blood-alcohol level and any criminal charges.
Identify witnesses at the venue and at the crash.
Call us at (610) 255-7500 — we send the venue and insurer preservation letters the same day.

Why Siddons Law for New York Dram Shop Claims

Multi-state experience across PA, NJ, NY, and MD dram-shop laws — proof standards differ by state.
Contingency fee — no recovery, no fee.
Free case review usually within one business day.
We advance all case expenses including expert toxicology and accident reconstruction.

New York Dram Shop FAQ

How do you prove a bar over-served the driver?: Receipts, point-of-sale data, security video, witness statements, blood-alcohol results, and bartender testimony. Evidence disappears in days — preservation letters go out immediately.
Can I sue both the bar and the drunk driver?: Yes. Dram-shop and drunk-driver claims are pursued together. The bar’s liquor-liability insurance often pays where the driver’s personal policy is too small.
What if alcohol was served at a private home, not a bar?: Social-host liability is more limited than commercial dram shop, but claims exist when alcohol was served to an underage or visibly intoxicated guest who then injures someone. Screened case-by-case.

Call (610) 255-7500 for a free case review — or use the case-review form above. Serving every county in New York.