The New Jersey Court of Appeals recently overturned a $105 million dollar verdict against a beer vendor who allegedly served a patron too much alcohol at a Giants game. The drunken patron, Daniel Lanzaro, was continually served alcohol by Aramark Corp. despite obvious signs he was already heavily intoxicated. Shortly thereafter, Lanzaro caused a collision with another vehicle leaving 2 year-old Antonia Verni paralyzed from the neck down.
According to abcnews.com:
“The admission of this evidence cannot be considered harmless. A central theme of plaintiffs’ case was the culture of intoxication at the stadium,” the court wrote in its 65-page ruling.
The appeals court also said that jurors should not have been told that they could consider and provide compensation for the girl’s shortened life expectancy. An economist had testified that the girl will need $42 million worth of care over the rest of her life.
Lanzaro is serving a five-year prison term after pleading guilty to vehicular assault. He settled with the family for $200,000 in insurance money to pay his portion of the damages.
The attorneys for the Plaintiff have said they will appeal the Court ruling in hopes of getting the landmark verdict reinstated.
