In many circumstances, an employer may be held liable for the negligence of its employee. If you have been injured in a commercial vehicle accident, or similar accident, you may wonder in what circumstances an employer may be liable for the actions of its employee. When an employee has negligently caused harm such as in a commercial vehicle accident, including a taxi accident, van accident or bus accident, depending on the situation, the employer may also be liable for the harm suffered by the victim.
To determine if the employer is likely to be legally responsible for the negligence of its employee, it is necessary to determine the amount of control the employer had over the employee, the activities of the employee at the time the harm was caused and if those activities were work-related. If the actions of the employee at the time of the accident were related to employment, or closely related to employment, the employer may be liable for the harm suffered.
Also, for instance, if the party is an independent contractor, and the employer does not have control over the party, the employer may not be liable for the actions of the party. Nevertheless, in some circumstances, an employer or negligent company may be liable for negligently hiring an employee or independent contractor. Because victims of commercial vehicle accidents can suffer catastrophic injuries and harm, the ability to seek compensation from all parties responsible for the harm they have suffered can be important.
Victims of commercial vehicle accident may suffer damages including physical, financial and emotional damages. In those circumstances, it is important to understand how it may be possible to obtain compensation from all responsible parties to help with medical expenses, lost wages and allow the victim to focus on the recovery process.
Source: Smallbusines.findlaw.com, “An Employer’s Liability for Employee’s Acts,” Accessed Jan. 10, 2017
