Who served them?
They share the bill.
New Jersey's Licensed Alcoholic Beverage Server Fair Liability Act puts bars and restaurants on the hook when they over-serve a patron who then injures someone. Social hosts are also exposed under Kelly v. Gwinnell. The case has to be built fast — receipts and surveillance disappear quickly.
The bar.
The host.
Under N.J.S.A. 2A:22A, a licensed establishment is liable if it served a patron who was visibly intoxicated — and that service was a proximate cause of an injury. The statute is strict but provable, especially where ID and POS data exist.
Under Kelly v. Gwinnell, social hosts in New Jersey can be liable for serving a visibly intoxicated adult guest who then injures someone. The case is harder but real, and we've handled it.
The case starts
on day one.
Every liquor & bar liability matter is treated as a litigation file from the first call — because that's what wins it.
No fee unless we win.
You owe us nothing unless we recover for you. Period.
Cash advance in 24 hours.
Same-day funding can be arranged through third-party sources while your case is built.
Free, confidential case review.
An attorney — not an intake screener — reviews your matter and tells you what it's worth.
24/7 line, real people.
Evidence disappears in days. We answer the phone the night it happens.
Hurt in New Jersey?
Tell us what happened.
A New Jersey attorney personally reviews every submission — typically within the hour. No fee. No obligation. Evidence preservation begins the moment we hang up.
- Statewide coverage — every NJ county
- Preservation letters issued same day
- In-house investigation team
- Available 24/7 — nights, weekends, holidays
Request your free
consultation.
Dennis Shlionsky's Team will personally review your matter — typically within one hour. There is no fee unless we win.
Visible intoxication is the linchpin.
Proving "visible intoxication" requires reconstructing the patron's appearance and behavior at the moment of service — bartender observation, security video, drink count, BAC back-calculation. We assemble all of it.
CGL and host policy.
Bars and restaurants carry CGL with Dram Shop coverage; social hosts have homeowners or umbrella coverage. The defendants stack on top of the drunk driver's auto policy.
What clients ask first.
I don't remember which bar served them. Can we still investigate?
Yes. We canvas the route, pull credit card records by subpoena, and use surveillance to reconstruct the night. We've identified the over-serving establishment on multiple occasions when the driver couldn't.
How much does it cost to hire your firm?
Nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee — you owe us no attorney's fee unless we recover money for you. Costs are advanced by the firm and only reimbursed out of a recovery. The first conversation is free and confidential.
How long do I have to file a claim in New Jersey?
Most personal-injury claims in New Jersey carry a two-year statute of limitations under N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2, running from the date of injury. Claims against a public entity (city, county, NJ Transit, the State) require a Notice of Tort Claim within 90 days under the New Jersey Tort Claims Act. Wrongful-death actions also have a two-year window. Call as early as possible — evidence does not wait.
The bar made money.
They can spend some too.
Service decisions have consequences. We make sure those consequences land.
Request your free
consultation.
Dennis Shlionsky's Team will personally review your matter — typically within one hour. There is no fee unless we win.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case turns on its own facts. The information on this page is for general educational purposes and is not legal advice. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.