My jurisdiction is: Virginia
I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this question but I figured I'd start here. I'm a member/organizer for a couple of local clubs (as in 'organizations', not 'bars') and a liability question has come up involving alcohol.
The two clubs are both web-based via the Meetup website, a site that lets you create your own club. One is an outdoor & social club and the other is a food, beverage, and games club. Both clubs have varied events, some of which involve the consumption of alcohol.
A concern has come up regarding what is the club's (or organizer's) liability if something were to happen after/during one of these events. Say, if someone leaves the event and gets stopped for dui or worse, causes an accident and hurts/kills someone?
The types of club events that involve alcohol include things like:
What types of things can the club and/or organizers be held liable for? What are the limits of liability? How can the liability be reduced?
In case it matters, neither club charges a membership fee to join or to participate in anything. The only time there are fees are if we go somewhere that charges, such as the admission to a wine festival. But the club itself never charges/collects the money. The way the clubs work is that an organizer posts an event to a calendar and then the members rsvp 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe' that they'll attend. It's very loosely organized.
Thanks!
Dave
I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this question but I figured I'd start here. I'm a member/organizer for a couple of local clubs (as in 'organizations', not 'bars') and a liability question has come up involving alcohol.
The two clubs are both web-based via the Meetup website, a site that lets you create your own club. One is an outdoor & social club and the other is a food, beverage, and games club. Both clubs have varied events, some of which involve the consumption of alcohol.
A concern has come up regarding what is the club's (or organizer's) liability if something were to happen after/during one of these events. Say, if someone leaves the event and gets stopped for dui or worse, causes an accident and hurts/kills someone?
The types of club events that involve alcohol include things like:
- a party at a member's private residence.
- a 'club social' where we get together at a local 'watering hole' to munch wings, drink a beer, play pool, and generally socialize.
- go to a winery for a tasting.
- attend a wine or beer festival
What types of things can the club and/or organizers be held liable for? What are the limits of liability? How can the liability be reduced?
In case it matters, neither club charges a membership fee to join or to participate in anything. The only time there are fees are if we go somewhere that charges, such as the admission to a wine festival. But the club itself never charges/collects the money. The way the clubs work is that an organizer posts an event to a calendar and then the members rsvp 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe' that they'll attend. It's very loosely organized.
Thanks!
Dave
