Houston Wrongful Death Dram Shop Settles for $875,879
One driver was consuming alcohol at a bar before being involved in a fatal motorcycle accident. The bar was accused of serving the driver alcohol past the point of intoxication and allowing them to leave. The driver lost control of their motorcycle and struck another vehicle, sustaining fatal injuries. The driver's blood alcohol level was significantly over the legal limit.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
About Wrongful Death Injuries
Wrongful death claims arise when a car accident fatality is caused by another party's negligence. These cases compensate surviving family members for their losses and the decedent's pain and suffering.
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $875,879
- County
- Harris County, TX
- Resolved
- 2020
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Wrongful Death
- Accident Type
- Motorcycle
- Case Type
- Dram Shop, Wrongful death, Vehicle negligence, Dram shop liability
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $875,879 is near the median of $6,500,000 for wrongful death cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $800,000 to $15,000,000, based on 34 cases in our database.
Case Overview
A wrongful death dram shop action was filed in Houston, Texas, after a fatal motorcycle accident on March 19, 2016. The incident involved a 36-year-old male decedent who had been a patron at On the Rox Sports Bar & Grill the night prior and into the morning of the accident. He subsequently lost control of his motorcycle on Jones Road in Houston, struck another vehicle, and sustained fatal injuries. The decedent's blood alcohol level was well in excess of the legal limit at the time of his death.
The decedent's estate, which included a surviving spouse and a minor child, alleged that the defendant bar negligently served the decedent alcohol past the point of obvious intoxication. The estate further claimed the bar allowed the intoxicated patron to leave the premises, thereby contributing to the fatal accident. The defendant bar denied all allegations of negligence, including claims that it overserved the decedent.
The parties ultimately reached a settlement for $875,879.
Understanding This Case
- This case went to trial and resulted in a jury verdict. Verdicts can yield higher awards but carry the risk of receiving nothing if the jury rules against the plaintiff.
- This case was resolved in Harris County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2020, this case reflects the legal and economic conditions of that period, including medical costs, insurance practices, and jury award trends at the time.
VerdictlyTM Score
This outcome is within expected ranges
This score is calculated by analyzing injury type, accident details, geographic location, temporal trends, and comparing against 2,000+ similar cases in our database.
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