Situations Where You Are Held Liable For Car Accidents Caused By Others

Usually, whenever any car accident occurs, the very first thing that is determined is the driver’s fault. If the driver is found to be negligent towards their duties during driving, then he/she becomes the accused in the case. Though, in some other situations, it doesn’t matter if you were not present inside the car, and an accident was caused by it, due to someone else’s driving mistakes. You will be held liable for the accident, since the vehicle will be registered in your name.

This article discusses those situations in detail and tells the readers about the ways in which they can be accused of causing car accidents, without driving the vehicles by themselves.

When the car driver is your employee

In cases where there is the involvement of wrongful driving acts, like driving without caution and care, are carried out by your employee while “performing its job duties”, you will held responsible under the protocol of imputed negligence or vicarious liability according to the law. It is completely possible for the law to hold a person accountable for the transgression of another person, if both of them a relationship and understanding with each other.

When someone else drives your car

Here, it’s not necessary for two people to have a defined relationship, such as employee-employer, with each other. There are various states where the law holds a person answerable for the damages caused by someone else through its car. Once you allow someone else to use and drive your vehicle, you automatically become responsible for all of its actions.

When you allow your children to drive your car

The laws of several states hold parents chargeable for the negligent car driving of their children. There are different scenarios in this case and they are as follows:

  • When you lend the family car to your child, even after knowing that he/she is reckless, inept and inexperienced in driving cars, you will be held accountable as a parent for all the damages caused by him or her.
  • When you are the owner of a car, which has been purchased for overall family use, you will be legally responsible for the damages caused by any member of your family through driving.
  • As a parent, if you have signed the application of your minor offspring, then you have liability for its careless driving and subsequent accidents and damages.

Lastly, negligent entrustment is a case where you are held accountable for the damages caused by another person while he/she was driving your car. If you already knew that the driver was intoxicated, underage, unlicensed, elderly, ill or reckless and still, you lent him/her you car to drive, then law holds you fully accountable for his/her actions.

It’s best to get legal assistance in such cases, if you really want to prevent lawsuits or win a lawsuit successfully. You should hire a competent, professional and certified car accident attorney Brisbane who can efficiently take care of the whole lawsuit process, who understands and answers all of your worries and questions and handles negotiations with the other party.

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