Many drivers take to the road in Kentucky for work-related reasons. Like anyone else, these drivers could cause an accident if they’re careless. In some situations, a driver could contribute to a collision while operating a company car. Questions might then arise about how the victims of the accident can seek compensation. Typically, the process won’t differ much from other types of automobile accidents.
Company drivers must avoid negligent behavior
A cargo van could pull out of a parking lot too fast and hit a smaller vehicle. An executive car might go through a stop sign and injure a pedestrian. Someone facing hospital bills and downtime from work after being hit by a company car may seek to file a claim for their injuries.
The negligent driver could become a defendant in a lawsuit along with their employer. Under the concept of “vicarious liability,” an employer becomes responsible for an employee’s actions when he or she performs official work duties. This means that someone driving a company car to an important meeting might drag an employer into litigation after an accident.
Two key points emerge here. First, the driver has to be negligent in some way for a liability claim to have merit. Second, the employee must be performing official duties at the time of the crash. Someone who takes a company car out on the road without permission for personal reasons may end up being solely responsible for any motor vehicle accident claims.
Dealing with insurance matters
Auto accidents commonly lead to insurance claims and possible settlements. An injured person may seek insurance settlements from the driver and the employer depending on the circumstances. How the insurance companies respond further will depend on any evidence presented about liability. A personal injury attorney representing the victim of the accident may be able to negotiate insurance settlements by presenting evidence showing that the company driver was negligent.