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2/15/2009
Richard N. Shapiro
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Is Limo Service Liable To Injury Victims for Allowing Drunk Customer To Leave Limo To Operate A Car If Customer Then Injures Others? (Yes, Rules One Court)

It is not unusual for passengers in a limousine to get drunk or intoxicated-usually they enjoy themselves and do not need to drive their own cars and can avoid any chance of a DUI/DWI charge, or a stupid and dangerous car accident, or causing a catastrophic injury or wrongful death while drunk driving. This is a reason folks hire limos.

In this actual Massachusetts case, the drunk passengers had a night of partying and the limo driver dropped several friends at one customer's car in a bar parking lot. The drunk customer got into his car, (Mr. Powers) and several blocks from where they were dropped off by the limo service driver, Powers caused a terrible car crash that killed an off-duty police officer and also seriously injured other passengers. The interesting part of the case did not involve whether Powers was drunk or whether he was the cause of the crash, the issue was whether the limousine service could be held liable (in a wrongful death or personal injury case lawsuit) to the injured victims for dropping the intoxicated passengers right beside a car when it was obvious that one of them would drive the vehicle while intoxicated. Could the limo service be responsible to the off duty cop or other persons injured?

injury, lawyer, limo, taxi, accident, accidents The trial judge dismissed the case, but the highest Massachusetts appeals court reversed and ruled the limo/van service was responsible. To read the entire interesting drunk driving/limo service responsibility case report, click here.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia practicing primarily in the southeastern U.S. and handles only injury law, including car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. The firm's website is: hsinjurylaw.com, the firm edits two injury law blogs: Virginia Beach Injuryboard & Norfolk Injuryboard, and also hosts a video library covering many FAQ’s on personal injury subjects.

Labels: carolina injury lawyers drunk driver causes injuries DUI injury case DWI driver causes injury limo service allows drunk to drive limo service driver responsibility limo service liability for drunk driver nc injury caused by drunk driver personal injuries caused by drunk driver va injuries caused by drunk van service responsibility for drunk driver virginia injury lawyers

How should you locate the best, top injury lawyer for your case?

Our Injury Lawyers Have Been Selected For Many Achievements Outlined Below:

Several Injury Attorneys With Our Firm have been included among the "Best Lawyers in America" 2010 Edition (Lewis-Injury Law, Shapiro-Railroad Injury Law) and been Named As Virginia "Super Lawyers" For Personal Injury Law (Lewis, Shapiro - 2009 Ed.)(Less than 5% of Outstanding Lawyers are Chosen); also selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum (Lewis, Shapiro - 2009); named among the Top 100 Lawyers in Virginia by ATLA (Shapiro - 2009), and our law firm was the first Injury Law Firm in Virginia Invited to Join Primerus, a select group of Highly Ethical, Respected Law Firms .

In October, 2000 our law firm and co-counsel obtained, what was then, the largest record verdict in Virginia's history for an injured person (46 Million Dollar Verdict, with Interest, 60 Million Dollars, Settled confidentially during appeal). Click on icons for more details.

Geographical Areas:

Our personal injury lawyers handle personal injury cases throughout the eastern USA, and work closely with lawyers in other states on signficant injury cases.

As to Virginia (VA), this includes: Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Suffolk, Richmond (entire area), Petersburg, Roanoke/Salem, Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, all areas of the Eastern Shore, including Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteauge, Wachapreague, and Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague, and Wallops Island, Ashland, Big Stone Gap and any other city/ounty.

As to West Virginia (WV) personal injury claims: Bluefield, Beckley, Bridgeport, Charles Town, Charleston, Fairmont, Huntington, Lewisburg, Madison, Martinsburg, Morgantown, Moundsville, Parkersburg, Ripley, Sutton, Weirton, Wheeling, and any other town or county.

Injury Lawyers licensed in VA, WV, NC, SC, KY, FL & Wash., DC.

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Main VA Office
1294 Diamond Springs Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
Phone: (757)-460-7776
Fax: (757)-460-3428
Toll Free: 1-800-752-0042

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Phone: (757)-788-8162

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