Alcoholic beverage server liability and the reduction of alcohol-involved problems

Legal liability of alcoholic beverage servers has been suggested as a means to stimulate preventive serving practices and thus reduce alcohol-involved problems. A number of variables contribute (both negatively and positively) to the potential of such liability and a conceptual model that links these variables was developed. In this project, an expert legal panel was used to identify and rate the major legal factors contributing to server liability. As a result each state was ranked according to its relative level of liability exposure. States that ranked highest in server liability were found to have more publicity about such liability, greater awareness and higher concern among licensed establishment owners/managers and different serving practices compared to states with lowest liability exposure. As a result we conclude that server liability has a real potential for reducing alcohol-involved problems but additional research is needed.