Alcohol consumption is largely a social experience. People drink with friends or family members or while attending parties or visiting clubs. Some people overindulge, and they may later go on to make dangerous decisions, such as trying to drive home when their blood alcohol concentration is over the legal limit.
In certain scenarios, the person hosting or providing drinks could have legal and financial responsibility if a crash later occurred after they provided alcohol.
How do social hosts become liable?
Under New Jersey law, adults who serve drinks to underage people may ultimately have responsibility if those youthful drinkers go on to cause car crashes or otherwise cause property damage or injury to others. The so-called “social host rule” allows those negatively affected by alcohol-intoxicated teens who drank with the assistance of an adult to hold that adult accountable for their contributions to the situation.
Given that teenagers rarely have adequate resources to compensate people for property damage, let alone severe personal injury, being able to hold an adult accountable can be very important to those recovering from a drunk driving crash caused by a teen driver. Severe collisions can cause injuries that go well beyond what insurance will pay, making a social host claim a key way to connect with the compensation you need.
If you can prove that an adult hosted a teen party or served young adults alcohol, you can potentially take that adult to court. Knowing you’re right after a New Jersey drunk driving crash can help you cover costs like your lost income and the expense to replace your vehicle.