Warner v. Conestoga Bar Restaurant Inc.

37 Pa. D. & C.4th 387, 1997 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 53
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Lancaster County
DecidedMay 7, 1997
Docketno. 184-1995
StatusPublished

This text of 37 Pa. D. & C.4th 387 (Warner v. Conestoga Bar Restaurant Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Lancaster County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Warner v. Conestoga Bar Restaurant Inc., 37 Pa. D. & C.4th 387, 1997 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 53 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1997).

Opinion

FARINA, J.,

Before the court is defendant Conestoga Bar Restaurant Inc.’s motion for summary judgment. Plaintiff Theresa Warner filed a negligence suit against defendant on behalf of the estate of her deceased husband, Daniel F. Warner. Defendant contends that summary judgment in its favor is proper because plaintiff has failed to produce evidence of facts essential to her cause of action or the existence of genuine material facts as to necessary elements of the cause of action.

The undisputed facts of the case are as follows: At approximately 3 a.m. on November 6, 1993, a man, later identified as decedent, was reported to be unconscious and unresponsive along East King Street as it crosses the Conestoga River in the City of Lancaster. When emergency personnel arrived at the scene, decedent was not breathing, not responding to verbal stimuli, and did not have a heartbeat. He was found with vomitus on his clothing and with a number of beer cans lying about his person. Decedent’s heartbeat was restored and he was transported by ambulance to the Community Hospital of Lancaster’s emergency room.

Dr. Glielmi, decedent’s primary physician, diagnosed cardiac arrest upon decedent’s admission. Secondary diagnoses included aspiration, anoxic encephalopathy, alcohol intoxication, acidosis, hypokalemia, seizures, hypertension, sleep apnea and obesity. Decedent was maintained on ventilatory support, but had no spontaneous respirations. His condition continued to deteriorate and meaningful survival was not anticipated due to the significant brain injury. Once declared brain dead on November 11, 1993, decedent was removed [389]*389from life support and died that day. The cause of death was cerebral encephalopathy, as a result of earlier cardiac arrest as set forth in the record of death.

Diane Horton, a co-worker of decedent’s wife, plaintiff, was at defendant Conestoga Inn between 10:10 p.m. and 10:40 p.m. on November 5, 1993, at which time she saw and spoke briefly with decedent. Horton is the only witness produced who recalls seeing decedent at the Conestoga on that evening.

In her complaint, plaintiff alleges that defendant was negligent in that it knew, or should have known, that decedent was under the influence of alcohol to a degree which rendered him a hazard to himself or others; that upon leaving the Conestoga, decedent was unable to provide for his own safety due to his intoxicated state; that defendant furnished liquor and/or malt beverages to a visibly intoxicated person; that defendant failed to monitor the rate of consumption of liquor, malt and/or brewed beverages of decedent; that defendant permitted the sale or service of intoxicating beverages to decedent while he was in a visibly intoxicated condition and violated the Pennsylvania Liquor Code, 47 P.S. §§4-493 and 4-497.

Summary judgment is proper “(1) whenever there is no genuine issue of any material fact as to a necessary element of the cause of action or defense which could be established by additional discovery or expert report, or (2) if, after the completion of discovery relevant to the motion, including the production of expert reports, an adverse party who will bear the burden of proof at trial has failed to produce evidence of facts essential to the cause of action or defense which in a jury trial would require the issues to be submitted to a jury.” Pa.R.C.P. 1035.2.

[390]*390The 1996 amendments to the rules relating to summary judgment clearly allow relief by summary judgment when the pleadings have been closed, discovery completed, and the record discloses that the party who will bear the burden of proof at trial has failed to establish a prima facie case. Pa.R.C.P. 1035.2; Butterfield v. Meadeville Medical Center, 24 Crawford Co. L.J. 317 (1996).

The Pennsylvania Liquor Code, §§4-493 and 4-497, prohibits a Pennsylvania liquor license holder from selling, furnishing or giving alcoholic beverages to any visibly intoxicated person. 47 P.S. §§4-493, 4-497. A violation of either of these provisions is considered negligence per se and, if the violation is subsequently determined to be the proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injuries, then the defendant is liable. McDonald v. Marriott Corp., 388 Pa. Super. 121, 564 A.2d 1296 (1989); Johnson v. Harris, 419 Pa. Super. 541, 615 A.2d 771 (1992). In order for a plaintiff to recover in a civil action for a violation of sections 4-493 and 4-497, she must prove (1) the patron/customer was served alcoholic beverages while visibly intoxicated, and (2) the alleged violation was the proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injuries. Connor v. Duffy, 438 Pa. Super. 277, 652 A.2d 372 (1994); Johnson v. Harris, supra. However, it is impermissible to infer from a person’s presence at an establishment that serves alcoholic beverages that he or she was served alcoholic beverages. Id.

Defendant asserts that no evidence of record shows that defendant’s employees, including bartenders on duty, recall seeing decedent at the Conestoga at any time, serving him intoxicating beverages, or decedent’s state of intoxication. Plaintiff has produced no witnesses other than Horton who saw decedent at the Conestoga, and her deposition testimony does not establish that [391]*391decedent was sold, furnished or given alcoholic or intoxicating beverages.

Defendant suggests that the same principles relied upon in Connor, supra, apply in the case at bar. In Connor, the trial court granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment on the basis that no evidence of service was established. The Superior Court affirmed, holding that plaintiff could not establish that Duffy was served alcoholic beverages by either of the defendants. The nexus between beer purchases by Duffy and his visible intoxication was never established. Connor, supra at 282, 652 A.2d at 375. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court has held that a showing that a visibly intoxicated person consumed alcohol on the licensee’s premises is insufficient to establish liability under section 493 of the Liquor Code. Pennsylvania State Police v. J.E.K. Enterprises Inc., 680 A.2d 53 (Pa. Commw. 1996).

Defendant argues that establishing decedent was at the Conestoga and that he was in possession of a glass of beer or that he was visibly intoxicated, does not provide the requisite “nexus” between beer purchases by decedent and any visible intoxication.

Defendant further argues that, even assuming arguendo that plaintiff has met her burden with regard to whether decedent was served alcoholic beverages while visibly intoxicated, plaintiff has failed to produce any evidence that defendant’s violation of sections 4-493 and 4-497 of the Liquor Code is the proximate cause of decedent’s death. “Even if a patron has been served alcoholic beverages while visibly intoxicated, there will be no civil liability imposed upon the tavern keeper unless the injuries to the patron or third party were proximately caused by the patron’s intoxication.” Holpp v. Fez Inc., 440 Pa. Super. 512, 518,

Related

Holpp v. Fez, Inc.
656 A.2d 147 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1995)
McDonald v. Marriott Corp.
564 A.2d 1296 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1989)
Conner v. Duffy
652 A.2d 372 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1994)
Johnson v. Harris
615 A.2d 771 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1992)
Curran v. Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc.
439 A.2d 652 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1981)
Couts v. Ghion
421 A.2d 1184 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1980)
Garcia v. Savage
586 A.2d 1375 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1991)
Peluso v. Walter
483 A.2d 905 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1984)
Nanty-Glo Boro. v. American Surety Co.
163 A. 523 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1932)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
37 Pa. D. & C.4th 387, 1997 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 53, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/warner-v-conestoga-bar-restaurant-inc-pactcompllancas-1997.