Widow is suing Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs after a valet parking attendant let her husband leave despite being visibly intoxicated, says Frenkel & Frenkel.
A woman whose husband died shortly after leaving the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs Casino has filed suit, claiming that a valet parking attendant violated state law by not preventing her intoxicated husband from driving. The widow has filed an appeal after a Luzerne County judge ruled in favor of the casino, and the case will now be heard by in a Pennsylvania Superior Court. Incident Information Witnesses reported that Richard Moranko left the casino in January 2011 with a blood alcohol content of 0.0329 percent. According to the lawyer for his widow, Faye Moranko, the casino did nothing to stop Mr. Moranko from driving, despite Pennsylvania gaming laws that require every casino to have a Responsible Alcohol Management Program. The attorney says that had the valet parking attendant followed those regulations, Mr. Moranko would not have died. Mr. Moranko died in a one-car accident on Route 315 in Pittston Township, according to reports. Casino Says Valet Attendant Did Nothing Wrong According to lawyers for Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, the Responsible Alcohol Management Program addresses dealing with intoxicated gamblers but has nothing to do with keeping people from operating a motor vehicle. In addition, the lawyers claim that withholding Mr. Moranko’s keys would have been a violation of the law because it is illegal to prevent someone from using their vehicle, which could be considered coercion. Court documents report that a state police officer at the casino informed the valet that he was required to return Mr. Moranko’s keys, despite the man’s obvious intoxication. Personal Decision The casino further claimed that Mr. Moranko had been drinking all day and was intoxicated prior to his arrival at the casino. Lawyers claim that Mr. Moranko made a personal decision to drink and drive that day, and that the casino had no legal obligation or ability to stop him from doing so. Lawyers for Mrs. Moranko stated that the law couldn’t allow a visibly intoxicated driver to be given the keys and sent out on the road. When negligence is suspected as the cause or a contributing factor in a car accident that causes injury or death, a liability claim may be in order. Contact Dallas-Fort Worth lawyers at Frenkel & Frenkel to schedule a free consultation regarding an auto accident where injuries may have been caused or worsened by someone else’s negligence.
