Before hosting a party in your home, it’s a good idea to know what your responsibilities are as a host. Of course being a good host is a good thing, but being a responsible host is more important.
Any time a bar, restaurant or homeowner serves alcohol contrary to the provisions of the law, he or she can be held liable for the damage that causes.
If you serve someone an alcoholic beverage when they are visibly intoxicated, you’re breaking the law; this is true of a bar owner, a restaurant owner or a homeowner. If the guest who is intoxicated leaves your home or establishment and causes a car wreck the establishment may be held liable. So, if you’re hosting a party and serving alcohol and something bad happens, you could be held criminally or civilly liable.
There is also another way that you may be held liable if your guests have too much to drink and someone is hurt on your property, whether it is your home or your business. This could be true if someone was served too much alcohol and fell and hurt themselves in your driveway.
Generally speaking, if you’re open to the public and don’t maintain your premises in a safe and responsible manner, even when alcohol is not involved, you will probably be held liable should someone fall and injure themselves.
As far as someone slipping or falling on your property, whether or not they have been drinking, the same rules basically apply. If you’re a shop owner and inviting people in, you have a high standard to warn or make safe any dangers you know about or should have known about.
The same thing is true of your home. If you invite people in, you have a duty to make it safe and to let visitors know of anything that may be a hazard.
If you have legal questions, please consult our Online Legal Directory to find an attorney in your area.