When an employee uses a company vehicle while working, the employer or owner of that car could be held liable if they are involved in a car accident. A business has an obligation to reasonably protect people. If they are allowing irresponsible or reckless individuals to operate a motor vehicle while on the clock they too could be held accountable for his actions. They should have set up clear safety measures for the use of all of their employee run vehicles. If you were injured in a crash with a business owned vehicle, you have the right to seek compensation from them. Get in touch with a Missouri car accident attorney today to find out how you should proceed with your claim.
The Responsibility of Employers
Often times, a business does not consider the responsibility entailed when instructing an employee to operate one of its vehicles. They probably have dozens of safety measures implemented inside the workplace, but give little thought to an accident in one of their cars. This is careless when you consider they are being entrusted with a 4,000 pound moving object out in public.The employer is most likely held responsible for an accident under a statute known as respondeat superior liability. Basically this means that since the employee was performing a work duty when the accident occurred, the employer is liable for it. Unlike other possible suits, there really is no clear negligence on the part of the company, other than them allowing an employee to drive one of their vehicles. This was the basis for a Missouri case where a van owned by the Holiday Inn chain was involved in an accident with a mother and her young son. The insurance carrier for the hotel settled the case for $3.75 million to help cover the cost of the multiple fractures both plaintiffs sustained as a result of the crash.
Company Negligence
Lawyers for the defense will often try and argue that the employee was not acting on their behalf when the accident occurred, especially if they can show how the employee committed an intentional wrong, such as running a red light. So while they may be correct in stating that they do not condone such an act, they would be if it can be proven that the driver did it to comply with a work policy, such as get guests to the airport on time.Other possible avenues would be to show how the company was negligent in their hiring practices or by not terminating the employment of someone who had proven to be a careless driver. Pursuing your claim in this fashion often requires some investigation by a skilled car accident attorney into the companies hiring practices as well as employee records. If a defect in the vehicle was in any way part of the cause of the accident you may also make a case for the employee not operating safe equipment.
St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer
It can be a challenge to file a claim against a large company or corporation. Their insurance carriers are very adept at avoiding large payouts. If you have been injured in a crash with a corporate owned vehicle, have a Missouri car accident attorney at The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. take charge of your claim. Their experience in these types of matters will go a long way in securing your rightful compensation.Call (314) 361-4242 to schedule a free consultation.
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