Texas Man Granted $5.5M in Lawsuit Against Restaurant Who Served Him Too Much Alcohol

According to the Houston Chronicle, a Texas man was granted $5.5 million in his case against a restaurant, alleging that the company overserved him drinks, which contributed to injuries incurred during an argument with another individual.

In May, Daniel Rawls filed a complaint alleging premises liability, negligence, and damages deriving from foreseeable criminal behavior against La Fogata Mexican Grill, its owner Lourdes Galindo, and an unknown bartender. The lawsuit originates from an incident in May 2019 in which Rawls had been drinking extensively at La Fogata before leaving and getting into a fight in the parking lot with Robert Henrickson, who had also been drinking excessively at the restaurant.

In the lawsuit, Rawls claimed to have suffered a “serious and debilitating” head injury after falling, which he attributes to “an uneven parking lot.” He also claims the establishment did not call him an ambulance.

Rawls argues that Galindo failed to train the unidentified bartender to establish whether a customer had enough to drink and should no longer be served. The Houston Chronicle noted that Rawls was arrested on a public intoxication charge twice between May and February 2019.

According to reports, the court ruled in Rawls’s favor due to Galindo not showing up in court.