It’s important to remember that the vast majority of bar and restaurant owners are responsible – and Ohio’s dram shop liability laws are not aimed at them. Instead, Ohio’s Dram Shop law aims at holding certain especially bad actors responsible for the ensuing damage a patron causes after driving drunk. The law – contained in Ohio Revised Code §4399.18 – first makes a distinction based on where the injury occurs (On Premises or Off Premises). 

For on premises or parking lot injuries, the owner of the liquor permit can be held liable if it can be shown that their negligence proximately caused the personal injury. This can often be shown by the specific instances leading up to the injury – such as a decision of the liquor permit holder to ignore a known risk. On the other hand, in order to recover for an injury or death that occurs off premises, a plaintiff must show the following: