Nevada Mom Sues Coors Over Son's Death

[Tigermike 3,031]

With all the success they had with the tobacco industry, I knew it would only be a matter of time before the lawyers started on the beer and liquor manufacturers.

Nevada Mom Sues Coors Over Son's Death

Sunday, April 18, 2004

RENO, Nev. — The mother of a 19-year-old killed in a traffic accident is suing Coors Brewing Co., claiming that it promotes underage drinking.

Jodie Pisco, of Reno, contends Coors has failed in its duty to protect the country's youth from drinking. Her son, Ryan, was killed in 2002 after he drank Coors at a party and drove his girlfriend's car into a light pole at 90 mph, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Washoe County District Court, seeks unspecified damages. It accused Coors of "glorifying a culture of youth, sex and glamour while hiding the dangers of alcohol abuse and addiction."

Laura Sankey, a spokeswoman for Golden, Colo.-based Coors, said that although she could not comment on pending litigation, the company "doesn't want underage consumers — period."

"Tragedies like this further reinforce why the fight against underage drinking and drunk driving must continue," Sankey told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Also named in the suit were Ryan Pisco's girlfriend and her mother. The lawsuit alleges the girlfriend allowed Pisco, who lacked a valid driver's license, to drive off in her car, which had been given to her by her mother.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,117447,00.html

[keoson7 28]

Hmmm. why didn't she name the car manufacturer too for making a car that goes 90

[CarolinaTiger 0]

don't forget the utilities company who put the pole there in the 1st place... underground wiring could've quite possibly prevented this tragedy.

sorry for being so crass...

[bammanmr 0]

I love the fact that the girlfriend and her mom are named in the suit. They obviously were neglegent (sp) in allowing this kid to get in a car.

Can someone please give me a 'real' answer as to how this kind of frivilousness can be stopped?

[mcgufcm 4,098]

well, i'd be willing to bet this never sees court. at best, they may get a lil cash in a settlement b/c coors doesn't want to deal with them, but the fact is beer companies are pretty meticulous in covering their backs. it's not the same as the tobacco suits b/c before those lawsuits the tobacco companies did nothing to overtly warn their customers.

beer is another story. a coors commercial airing as we debate this is their part owner talking with his closing statement "if you're going to drink coors, drink responsibly." on top of that, coors is part of the conglomerate effort nationwide to force store owners to ID. that's the "we i.d." signs you see at every gas station. recently they've taken it to a new level by giving store owners that never have complaints of underage sells rewards instead of just avoiding punishment.

beer companies did this proactively b/c they knew without it they were vulnerable to lawsuits stemming from underage drinking. when you add these two efforts, it's a fairly airtight defense that you're company has used it's own money and air time to publicly request responsible drinking and joined in a national effort to encourage responsible sells. the lady's loss is sad, but she just doesn't have a case.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

Can someone please give me a 'real' answer as to how this kind of frivilousness can be stopped?

Petition your state representative to sponsor a "3 strikes and your out" bill for trial lawyers that will punish these ambulance chasers for bringing nonsense like this into the courthouse. Legislators could even get brave and make it a loser-pays system. That, more than anything, would discourage frivilous lawsuits.

[texaubie 0]

This better not raise the price of beer or I'll have to go back to home brewing!