Serving Plaintiff & Defense Attorneys Nationwide

(702) 696-8745

35+

Years Hospitality Operations

RBS

Certified Trainer — TIPS/TABC

50+

States — Nationwide

P & D

Plaintiff & Defense

Overview

What Is Liquor Liability?

Liquor liability is the broad legal framework governing the civil responsibility of any party — commercial vendor, social host, or event organizer — that provides alcohol to another person who subsequently causes injury to themselves or a third party. While dram shop liability specifically addresses licensed commercial vendors, liquor liability encompasses a wider range of scenarios including social host liability, event liability, and cases involving the service of alcohol to minors.

These cases require an expert who understands not just the legal standards but the operational realities of alcohol service — how establishments train their staff, what responsible beverage service programs teach, how management is expected to supervise service, and what the industry standard of care actually looks like in a busy commercial environment.

Ryan Dahlstrom has spent his career in the hospitality industry training servers, bartenders, and managers in responsible alcohol service. He holds certifications from the leading responsible beverage service programs in the country and has developed alcohol service policies for venues across the United States. His opinions bridge the gap between legal standards and operational practice.

Expert Opinions

Opinions Ryan Can Offer

Whether the licensee's alcohol service practices complied with applicable state and local liquor laws and regulations

Whether the establishment maintained adequate policies for identifying and refusing service to intoxicated patrons

Whether staff training on responsible alcohol service met the applicable standard of care

Whether the establishment's liquor license conditions were followed and enforced

Whether management oversight of alcohol service was adequate

Whether the sale of alcohol to a minor occurred and whether reasonable precautions were in place to prevent it

Whether the establishment's alcohol service was a proximate cause of the plaintiff's injuries

Whether the venue's alcohol service policies and practices deviated from industry standards

Scope of Engagement

What Is Included

Review of liquor license, conditions of approval, and regulatory history

Analysis of POS / alcohol sales records and service timeline

Evaluation of staff training records and responsible beverage service certifications

Review of management policies, employee handbooks, and service protocols

Assessment of age verification procedures and minor prevention protocols

Correlation of alcohol service records with incident timeline and toxicologist findings

Comprehensive written expert report suitable for Rule 26 disclosure

Deposition and trial testimony available in any jurisdiction

Why Ryan

The Regulatory & Operational Advantage

Certified RBS Trainer

Holds TIPS, TABC, and other responsible beverage service certifications. Has trained thousands of servers and bartenders in responsible alcohol service.

Regulatory Knowledge

Deep familiarity with state and local liquor licensing requirements, conditions of approval, and regulatory enforcement standards.

Plaintiff & Defense

Works for both sides. Opinions are grounded in the facts of each case.

Daubert-Ready

Opinions grounded in industry standards, regulatory requirements, and documented operational practices.

Trial-Tested

Has provided deposition and trial testimony in multiple jurisdictions.

Nationwide

Available for case review, deposition, and trial testimony in all 50 states.

Liquor Liability Expert Witness — Available Nationwide

Contact Ryan today for a confidential case evaluation. Serving plaintiff and defense attorneys in all 50 states.

Free Consultation(702) 696-8745