When Are You Liable For A Car Accident In Which You Were Not Present?

Proving liability in a car accident can be a fickle issue. Although most people assume that the person who caused the accident is the individual liable, there are some cases where there is shared responsibility, or even a party that was not present can be held liable. Throughout this brief article, you will learn about a few of the times where you can be held liable for a car accident even if you were not present.

Allowing An Unfit Driver To Drive

Negligent entrustment is the name for the issue of you allowing someone who is unfit to drive your car get behind the wheel. The plaintiff must be able to prove that the owner of the car knew that the person driving the vehicle was incompetent. Incompetency can be proven in a variety of different ways. For example, if the driver of the vehicle was ill, and as such, could not focus her attention on the road, then this is grounds for incompetency. Similarly, if the driver was intoxicated, then the owner of the car could share liability for the accident and be responsible for paying a percentage of the damages owed to the plaintiff.

Allowing Your Kids To Drive The Family Car

If your children are driving the family car, you might be held responsible for the damages owed to a plaintiff in an auto accident case. Some states have enacted a bill known as a "family purpose" bill. It basically means that the person who signs for the car is liable for damages in personal injury suits if an individual is harmed during an accident, even if it was another family member that was driving the vehicle. Similarly, there are a number of states that make the co-signer of a minor's driver's license application liable for damages if he or she is involved in an accident.

Allowing An Employee To Drive A Work Vehicle

Vicarious liability is generally assumed when an employee is driving a work vehicle and is involved in an accident, harming an individual. This requires that the employee in question be driving a work related vehicle or his or her boss' vehicle, and is doing so for the cause of a work related activity. As the owner of the company and vehicle, you will assume liability for damages in this case.

If you are involved in a personal injury case where you were not present, it is highly recommended that you call on the services of a personal injury or auto accident attorney to help handle these matters for you.