Alcohol Overservice
Cruise Lines Alcohol Liability Expert Witness > Alcohol Overservice
- Maritime Dram Shop Analysis
Proving Negligence in "All-Inclusive" Environments
Cruise lines rely heavily on “All-You-Can-Drink” packages to drive revenue, creating an inherent conflict between profit and passenger safety. Defense counsel often argues that because the ship was in international waters, no “Dram Shop” laws apply. We defeat this by applying US Federal Maritime Law, which holds shipowners to a duty of “reasonable care.” We analyze whether the crew prioritized beverage sales over federal safety standards, serving passengers past the point of visible intoxication.
- Analysis of "Unlimited Beverage Package" consumption rates.
- Review of "Gap Time" (how fast drinks were served).
- Evaluation of bartender intervention (or lack thereof).
- Audit of crew training on "cut-off" procedures.
Forensic Alcohol Investigations
Our maritime case reviews employ forensic reconstruction to establish the chain of alcohol service and supervision leading to injury.
POS Transaction Analysis
Correlates drink purchases and timestamps to passenger logs.
Surveillance Review
Synchronizes multi-camera footage to assess guest impairment and staff actions.
Policy and Manual Evaluation
Audits training standards, enforcement practices, and international maritime alcohol protocols.
Why Attorneys Retain Our Cruise Line Expertise
- Proven expertise in alcohol oversight and maritime hospitality operations.
- Defensible reports referencing Coast Guard, IMO, and corporate safety standards.
- Clear, professional communication of complex service-chain findings.
- Support for both domestic and international maritime jurisdictions.
How We Prove Maritime Overservice
Folio Audit & ROC
Analyzing the passenger's "folio" to calculate the "Rate of Consumption" (ROC) and prove the crew served a lethal volume in a short window.
Visual Impairment Check
Synchronizing the POS timestamps with CCTV footage to identify if the passenger showed ataxia (stumbling) or slurring while being served their 10th drink.
Policy Breach Analysis
Comparing the crew's actions against the cruise line’s own Alcohol Management Manual (AMM) to identify specific violations of internal protocol.
Federal Duty Assessment
Establishing whether the conduct violated the "Reasonable Care" standard set by US Maritime Law (Kermarec standard), regardless of ship location.
Independent, evidence-based evaluations for alcohol-related injury cases, providing attorneys with clear insight into service actions, venue conditions, and factors contributing to incident outcomes.
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