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Questions? Contact Us

Attorney Rodney Townsend

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Vicarious liability laws can help car accident victims

On Behalf of | Aug 31, 2020 | Uncategorized |

There are a lot of traffic safety laws out there. Most of them prohibit an individual from performing a certain act, such as driving while intoxicated or texting and driving, but there are other laws and legal theories that are meant to deter dangerous driving. Amongst them is vicarious liability, which can become a crucial focal point when an individual is injured in a truck accident.

Vicarious liability

Vicarious liability is a legal theory whereby an employer can be held accountable for the actions of an employee. Therefore, in the truck accident context, a victim may be able to recover compensation not only from a negligent trucker who harmed them, but also from that trucker’s employer. A vicarious liability claim, therefore, can give a victim more options when it comes to seeking the recovery of compensation. In other words, a truck company is much more likely to be able to pay the full extent of damages suffered.

But there’s another aspect of vicarious liability: deterrence. The potential to be held vicariously liable forces employers to do everything they can to ensure that their employees are performing their job duties in a safe fashion. This might mean hiring the right people, but it also might mean providing those employees with adequate training and properly monitoring them. It’s important to note that it’s not necessary to show these deficiencies prior to succeeding on a vicarious liability claim.

Letting the law work for victims

While a number of traffic safety laws are aimed at preventing accidents, they’re also geared toward helping victims. A violation of one of these laws might be helpful in bringing a personal injury lawsuit, as it can help demonstrate negligence. Understanding the law and its interplay in a victim’s day-to-day life can be challenging, though, which is why experienced legal professionals stand ready to help.