Company That Charged For Work Event At Which Alcohol Was Served Can't Be Held Liable Under Social Host Liability Theory

In the case of Klar v. Dairy Farmers of America, Inc., No. 29 WAP 2022 (Pa. Aug. 22, 2023 Wecht, J.), the Pennsylvania Supreme Court revisited precedents from over a half of a century that have imposed civil liability arising from the provision of alcohol to visibly intoxicated persons with respect to persons and entities licensed to engage in the commercial sale of alcohol while those precedents have also limited the liability of non-licensees and “social hosts.”

In this matter, Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirmed the decisions of the lower courts that held that an organization which hosted an event at which alcohol was provided, but which organization was not a liquor licensee, could not be held liable for injuries caused by a guest who had become intoxicated at the event and was later involved in a motor vehicle accident.

Anyone wishing to review a copy of this decision may click this LINK.

Source: Article - “Company That Charged For Work Event Can’t Be Held Liable for Guest’s Drunken Driving, Says Pa. High Court, By: Riley Brennan of the Pennsylvania Law Weekly (Aug. 24, 2023).