Things can get somewhat complicated if you are involved in an accident while you or the other party was driving a company vehicle. If you were seriously injured in the wreck, you will need an experienced personal injury attorney by your side. Contact Brodhead Law in Atlanta, Georgia as soon as possible for the dedicated legal advocacy you need.
When you have a car accident in a company vehicle, the question of liability depends on who caused the accident and whether you were acting in the scope of your employment duties when it occurred. If another driver caused the wreck, that driver and his or her insurance company should be liable. On the other hand, if you are found to be at fault for the accident, in most cases, your employer will be responsible under the doctrine of vicarious liability.
Vicarious liability, or respondeat superior (meaning “let the master answer”), is a legal principle that holds employers responsible for the negligence of their employees under certain circumstances. However, for this principle to apply, the employee’s negligent act must have occurred within the scope of employment.
Generally, the accident would be considered to have occurred within the scope of employment, and the employer would be liable for damages, if:
If you have been hit and seriously injured by an employee driving a company car, your best course of action is to get an experienced car accident attorney by your side right away. If the driver (employee) was taking care of personal business in the company car at the time of the crash, the employer may not be liable. It may be necessary to sue both the employer and the employee to be fully compensated for your damages.
Company vehicle accidents can be complex cases with multiple potentially liable parties. If you have been seriously hurt in such an accident, contact Brodhead Law as soon as you can. Our experienced personal injury lawyers are dedicated to pursuing the maximum possible compensation for car accident victims.