$1.5 Million in First Settlement Under Social Host Law

In the first known lawsuit and settlement under the Illinois Drug or Alcohol Impaired Minor Responsibility Act, attorneys Michael K. Demetrio and Edward G. Willer, on behalf of Melissa Wolkomir, recovered from two businesses in Wadsworth, Illinois, over $1.5 million. Under the 2004 law, adults who let minors drink at their homes or elsewhere face civil liability if the minor  injures or kills another person. In October of 2004, Melissa Wolkomir and her friends attended a party in Lake County hosted by a stable and a hayride company. Free beer was available and the teens were not required to show identification to drink. Wolkomir’s friend, then 16, drank two beers at the party. She later made an illegal left turn onto U.S. Route 41 where her vehicle collided with a truck. Wolkomir was thrown from the car and suffered serious neurological injuries.