Opinion ID: 891698
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Pharmaceutical Defendants were social hosts.

Text: {36} Plaintiffs complaint properly characterized Pharmaceutical Defendants as social hosts, and pleaded facts that raise the question of recklessness, thus stating a cause of action against them under the Liquor Liability Act. The individual pharmaceutical representatives invited Ms. Gonzales and her co-workers to a business luncheon, organized for business purposes under corporate policies of wining and dining medical office personnel in order to develop business goodwill and eventually increase sales to that office. The representatives arranged the business luncheon, paid for all of Ms. Gonzales' many alcoholic beverages at multiple licensed establishments, accompanied her at and between the multiple establishments, and escorted her to her car at the end of the evening. [6] Pharmaceutical Defendants' business motive in organizing the luncheon weighs in favor of the conclusion that they were acting as hosts for Ms. Gonzales and her work colleagues. As discussed above, the fact that the hosting took place in licensed bars and restaurants, as opposed to a private home or office, is not determinative. Under the facts alleged in the complaint, Pharmaceutical Defendants were social hosts in a licensed establishment. We reverse the district court's order granting the motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, and hold that Plaintiff stated a claim against Pharmaceutical Defendants as social hosts under the Liquor Liability Act. {37} We need not reach Plaintiffs argument that Pharmaceutical Defendants owed her a common-law tort duty or that a duty was stated under the Restatement, because the Liquor Liability Act is the exclusive remedy for injuries caused by social hosts. The plain language of the Act needs no interpretation: No person may seek relief in a civil claim against a licensee or a social host for injury or death or damage to property which was proximately caused by the sale, service or provision of alcoholic beverages except as provided in this section.  Section 41-11-1(H) (emphasis added); see also Chavez, 2007-NMCA-018, ¶ 31, 141 N.M. 116, 151 P.3d 77 (discussing the exclusivity of the Liquor Liability Act when it applies).