ILLINOIS DRAM SHOP LIMITS UPDATE
In order to succeed in a claim against a dram shop, plaintiff must show that: the offender was intoxicated at the time of the occurrence; that defendant is the licensed owner of a business that sells liquor or is a lessor or owner of the premises upon which liquor is sold; the lessor or owner must know that liquors are sold on the property if a named defendant; plaintiff is injured in person or property by an intoxicated person; and the business owner sold or gave alcoholic liquor causing the intoxication of the person. Further, the statute allows for either loss of society or loss of means of support. Notably, the dram shop statute is punitive in nature and as of 2014, the dramshop limits on recovery are as follows: for injury to person or property occurring after January 20, 2014, recovery shall not exceed $65,017.86; and for loss of means of support or loss of means of society occurring after the same date, recovery shall not exceed $79,466.27.
