Personal Injury Law

Illinois Supreme Court says: Drunk driving lawsuit against Illinois strip club can proceed

An Illinois negligence lawsuit against an Illinois strip club can proceed after a decision issued by the Illinois Supreme Court. Chicagobreakingnews.com reported that the Illinois Supreme Court decided that DuPage County Diamond?s Gentlemen?s Club near West Chicago had a duty to prevent two intoxicated patrons from driving away. The Illinois Supreme Court ruling has made way for an Illinois negligence lawsuit filed by the families of one of the patrons and a woman who were killed in a subsequent alcohol-related accident. The drunk driver was convicted in 2007 of aggravated DUI and reckless homicide and is serving a 12-year prison sentence; however, the negligence lawsuit against him and the operating company of Diamonds Gentlemen?s Club is still pending.

While the DuPage County strip club does not have a liquor license, strip club patrons are allowed to bring their own liquor and the club sells them mixers. The drunk driver and his passenger had been drinking heavily at the club and were ordered to leave after the drunk driver was witnessed vomiting in the bathroom. In its opinion, the Illinois Supreme Court stated that the operating company ?knew that the [drunk driver] was intoxicated and clearly knew he was driving from the premises.? Of the premises liability lawsuit, the victim?s attorney stated that it was a perfect storm of bad conduct.

The St. Charles Sun also reported that the owners of Diamonds Gentlemen?s Club could be held liable. The drunk driving accident involved an SUV traveling on Route 25 when it crossed the center line and slammed head-on into an SUV driven by a 27 year-old Yorkville woman who was two weeks away from giving birth.

The Chicagobreakingnews.com article about the premises liability lawsuit is available here.

Full post as published by Illinois Injury Lawyer Blog on March 23, 2010 (boomark / email).