What Is a Liquor Liability Expert Witness?

5 min readBy Ryan Dahlstrom

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Ryan Dahlstrom

Nationally Recognized Hospitality Expert Witness · 25+ Years Industry Experience · Plaintiff & Defense

Full Bio

Liquor liability cases turn on whether an establishment met its duty of care in serving alcohol. An expert witness provides the industry context that judges and juries need to evaluate that question — and can make or break a case.

Understanding Liquor Liability

Liquor liability is the legal responsibility of an alcohol-serving establishment for harm caused by an intoxicated patron. Unlike dram shop claims — which typically involve third-party injury — liquor liability can also encompass injuries to the patron themselves, property damage, and wrongful death. The central question in most cases is whether the establishment knew or should have known the patron was intoxicated before continuing to serve.

What Does a Liquor Liability Expert Witness Do?

A liquor liability expert witness analyzes the facts of the incident against the backdrop of industry standards and applicable regulations. This typically involves reviewing: alcohol purchase records and timestamps, staff training certifications and policies, security footage and incident reports, and the establishment's compliance history with the state liquor authority. The expert then renders an opinion on whether the establishment's conduct fell below the standard of care expected of a reasonably prudent operator.

When Is an Expert Witness Necessary?

In most liquor liability cases, the standard of care is not self-evident to a lay jury. What does it mean to be 'visibly intoxicated'? How many drinks is too many? What should a server have done differently? These are questions that require specialized knowledge of the hospitality industry. Without an expert, attorneys are left arguing abstract legal standards without the factual grounding that persuades juries.

Retaining Ryan Dahlstrom

Ryan Dahlstrom provides liquor liability expert witness services for plaintiff and defense attorneys nationwide. His opinions are based on decades of direct industry experience and are consistently admitted in state and federal courts. Contact Ryan to discuss your case and determine whether expert testimony is appropriate.

About the Author

Ryan Dahlstrom

Ryan Dahlstrom is a nationally recognized hospitality expert witness with over 25 years of direct industry experience. He has been retained by plaintiff and defense attorneys in dram shop, liquor liability, negligent security, and premises liability cases across the country.

Full Biography (702) 696-8745

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