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Determining liability in alcohol-related injury cases requires more than just a timeline; it requires a deep understanding of the Standard of Care for responsible service. We analyze whether the establishment followed state mandates and industry best practices regarding the service of alcohol.
We meticulously review the evidence—including POS receipts, video surveillance, and witness statements—to reconstruct the patron’s consumption. Our analysis focuses on visible signs of intoxication, staff intervention (or lack thereof), and whether the ‘cut-off’ procedures were executed correctly.
Beyond the incident itself, we audit the establishment’s preventative measures. This includes evaluating management policies, verifying server certifications (TIPS/ServSafe), and assessing if the venue fostered a culture of negligence or compliance.
Proving over-service requires connecting specific operational failures to the incident. We focus our analysis on these four critical pillars of the Standard of Care.
We audit employee files to verify if staff held valid certifications (TIPS/ServSafe) and if the venue provided adequate, ongoing training regarding intoxication recognition.
By cross-referencing POS timestamps with video surveillance, we construct a minute-by-minute timeline of consumption to identify when “visible intoxication” became apparent.
A handbook exists, but was it followed? We compare the venue’s written alcohol policies against the actual staff behavior and management supervision on the night of the incident.
We evaluate if the management prioritized revenue over safety, such as encouraging “upselling” to intoxicated guests or failing to staff security during high-volume hours.
Our expert’s background includes restaurant operations management, safety oversight, front-of-house workflow control, and service quality evaluation. This real-world knowledge allows for an informed and balanced review of how incidents occur within busy hospitality environments.Our expert’s background includes restaurant
Verification of real staff certification vs. forged/expired logs
Determining if servers were overwhelmed and unable to monitor intake.
Investigating management pressure to prioritize sales over safety.
Analyzing if managers properly documented the cut-off.
Benchmarking the venue's actions against industry norms.
Secure these critical items to allow for a comprehensive expert analysis.
Request full itemized POS receipts (not just credit card slips) with timestamps to establish the exact pacing and volume of alcohol consumption.
Secure all camera angles (interior and exterior) for at least two hours pre- and post-incident to evaluate visible signs of intoxication.
Obtain dated TIPS/ServSafe certificates and training attendance logs to verify if the specific servers on duty were legally qualified to serve.
Review personnel files for prior warnings regarding alcohol service violations, “upselling” pressure, or negligence.
Our involvement extends beyond the expert report. We partner with legal teams to decipher complex operational evidence, providing the technical clarity needed for summary judgment motions, settlement negotiations, and courtroom advocacy.
Common questions about restaurant expert witness services
We review slip and fall incidents, service-related injuries, food safety issues, crowd management failures, staff negligence claims, and operational liability matters in restaurant environments.
We review slip and fall incidents, service-related injuries, food safety issues, crowd management failures, staff negligence claims, and operational liability matters in restaurant environments.
We review slip and fall incidents, service-related injuries, food safety issues, crowd management failures, staff negligence claims, and operational liability matters in restaurant environments.
We review slip and fall incidents, service-related injuries, food safety issues, crowd management failures, staff negligence claims, and operational liability matters in restaurant environments.
