By statute, if a person is injured by an intoxicated person, there is not a legal claim against the person who merely furnished the alcohol. Tennessee liquor liability law draws a sharp distinction between individuals who merely furnish alcohol and those who sell it. For example, if you were injured in a car wreck caused by an intoxicated driver, you would have a cause of action against the intoxicated driver but you would not have a claim against the host of the Christmas party who served alcohol to the intoxicated driver.
There is one major exception to this rule and that is when minors are involved. Some parents allow their children to drink with friends if the drinking occurs at the parents' house. This is especially true during prom and graduation season. The parents' rationale is typically: kids are going to drink so I would rather them drink under my supervision. But adults who permit minors to drink at their house owe the minors a duty of care. So if an intoxicated minor then leaves the party and is involved in a car crash, the adult host can be liable for any injuries or death suffered by the minor or another person. This is true even if the adult host did not actually furnish the alcohol to the minors but merely permitted them to drink at their home.
If you believe you may have a liquor liability claim, one of our liquor liability attorneys will thoroughly discuss your case with you and advise you of your rights. Please contact us online or call us at 615-742-4880 or 866.812.8787 for a free, no-obligation consultation. We handle all liquor liability cases on a contingency basis which means we only get paid if we recover money for you. And unlike some other lawyers, we advance all case expenses so our clients are never out of pocket any money. We have recovered well over $100 million dollars for our satisfied clients. Let us help you too.