What Is Vicarious Liability and How Does It Apply to Personal Injury Law?

). T

s h

fin

l incentive to d

st,

comp

n

p fin

l benefits

ell. This le

iving

n c

ious

de

ted,

sp

h

/c

inju

tx/t

ccident-l

ye

/”> n style="font-

eight: 400;”>t

ccident

ney n><> n style=”font-

n help n

te the complexities of these c

s it pe

ins to vic

ious li

sp

n style=”font-

eight: 400;">Defining Ou

Te

ms: The Leg

l Me

ning of “Vicious”

nd “Li

ble”<

sp

n><

h2>
n style="font-

eight: 400;”>To bette

unde

st

nd vicious li

bility, the te

m c

n be dissected into t

o pts:<

sp

n>

ong>Vic

ious ong><

h3>
<

h

ef=”https://

.mei

m-

ebste

.com/diction

y/vic

ious”> n style="font-

eight: 400;”>Vic

ious n><>n style=”font-

eight: 400;"> is defined

s “se

ving inste

d of someone o

something else.” Fo

inst

nce, the

d

ge “living viciously th

ough someone else” me

ns to nt to live thei

expe

iences inste

d of one’s o

n. In pe

son

l inju

y cl

ims, it me

ns th

t someone c

used negligence

ithout being p

esent. n>

ong>Li

ble<

st

ong><

h3>
n style="font-

eight: 400;”>Li

ble me

ns to be held

esponsible. It is

n impo

t

nt issue in m

ny leg

l c

ses, especi

lly c

nd t

uck

ccidents. Li

bility disputes often come up in n><

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

li

bility-disputes-t

uck-

ccident-c

ses/”> n style="font-

eight: 400;”>t

uck

ccident c

ses<

sp

n><>n style=”font-

eight: 400;">

hen the

e’s

nothe

vehicle involved, b

d

e

the

, o mech

nic

l m

lfunction in the t

uck.<

sp

n>

n style=”font-

eight: 400;">Vicious Li

bility L

n><

h2>
n style="font-

eight: 400;”>The

e e t

o inst

nces th

t

e commonly

ssoci

ted

ith vicious li

bility l

.  n>

ong>Employe

nd Employee Contexts ong><

h3>
n style="font-

eight: 400;”>Employe

s c

n be held

esponsible fo

thei

employee’s

ctions if the

ction tnspi

ed du

ing employment.<

sp

n> n style=”font-

eight: 400;">In 2014, comedi

n n><

h

ef="https:

/

.cnn.com

2014/07/12/sho

biz

t

cy-mo

g

n-c

sh-l

suit/index.html”> n style="font-

eight: 400;”>T

cy Mo

g

n sued

lm

t n><>n style=”font-

eight: 400;"> bec

use one of thei

t

uck d

ive

s c

shed into his limo, c

using Mo

g

n to endu

e

t

o-

eek com

. The d

ive

s going 20 miles ove

the speed limit

nd

s

lmost

t his d

ive time limit, deeming the d

ive

negligent. Inste

d of suing the d

ive

, Mo

g

n decided to sue

lm

t bec

use his te

m felt th

t lmt s ultim

tely

esponsible fo

the

ccident th

t

s c

used by the d

ive

's negligence. <

sp

n> n style=”font-

eight: 400;">

f

st-food

est

unt could be held li

ble if

n employee spilled hot coffee on

dine

. But employe

s c

n be li

ble fo

ccidents th

t don't occu

on-site

s

ell. n> <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

houston-18-

heele

–

ccident-

tto

ney

“> n style="font-

eight: 400;”>Comme

ci

l t

uck

ccidents n><>n style=”font-

eight: 400;"> often involve

d

iveho is employed by the t

ucking comp

ny. The comp

ny m

y be held

esponsible fo

the employee’s beh

vio

, even though the

ccident does not occu

on the employe

’s p

emises. T

uck d

ive

s

e still

cting unde

the cont

ol of the comp

ny,

hich m

kes them the comp

ny's

esponsibility. n>

ong>P

ent

nd Child Contexts<

st

ong><

h3>
n style="font-

eight: 400;”>Much like the

el

tionship bet

een

n employe

nd thei

employees, pents c

n be deemed

esponsible fo

thei

child

en’s

ctions. In 2011,

illi

m Bu

nett,

n

ssist

nt p

ofesso

t St

nfo

d Unive

sity, s

ested on suspicion of n><

h

ef="https:

/

.p

lo

ltoonline.com

ne

s

2011/12/01/d

ughte

–

lleges-misconduct-in-f

the

s-

est”> n style="font-

eight: 400;”>

llo

ing teen

ge

s to d

ink

t his house n><>n style=”font-

eight: 400;">.<

sp

n> n style=”font-

eight: 400;">E

ch st

te h

s its o

n set of

ules fo

pent

l li

bility. In Tex

s, fo

ex

mple,

<

sp

n><

h

ef="http:

/

.tex

s-st

tutes.com

f

mily-code

ch

pte

-41-li

bility-of-pents-fo

-conduct-of-child”> n style="font-

eight: 400;”>p

ent is li

ble fo

p

ope

ty d

m

ge n><>n style=”font-

eight: 400;"> if the child's conduct p

oves the p

ent

s negligent. Fo

ex

mple, if Bu

nett lived in Tex

s, he

ould h

ve been li

ble fo

d

m

ges c

used by teen

ge

s if they d

ove

hile intoxic

ted. n>

n style=”font-

eight: 400;">Vicious Li

bility in Semi-T

uck

ccidents n><

h2>
n style="font-

eight: 400;”>T

uck

ccidents h

ve

high potenti

l fo

vic

ious li

bility. The FMCS

st

tes

bout 415,000

epo

ted c

shes involved l

ge t

ucks in one ye. Sometimes, the t

uck d

ive

is

n independent contctond is the only pe

son li

ble. Othe

times, the d

iveo

ks fo

comp

ny,

ho c

n be held li

ble fo

the d

ive

’s

ctions. The FMCS

enfo

ces

viety of

ules fo

comme

ci

l vehicles

nd thei

comp

nies, including: n>

• eight: 400;”>Licensing
  nd tining;<

  sp

  n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">

  pp

  oved medic

  l conditions; n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">St

  ict

  ules on the numbe

  of d

  iving hou

  s; n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">Intoxic

  ted d

  iving;<

  sp

  n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">Distcted d

  iving; n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">T

  uck inspections; n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">

  nd the size

  nd

  eight.  n><

  li>

n style="font-

eight: 400;”>Most comp

nies

o

k

ith insu

nce

gencies,

ho mo

e often th

n not

ill t

y to dispute li

bility bec

use they do not

nt to p

y the pe

son

l inju

y costs c

used by negligence. <

sp

n>n style=”font-

eight: 400;">This is

hy it is impo

t

nt to h

ve <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

tx/t

uck-

ccident-l

ye

/”>expe

ienced inju

y

tto

neys >

ep

esenting those inju

ed — to ensu

e li

bility is

ssigned

pp

op

i

tely

nd d

m

ges

e p

id expediently.<

sp

n> n style=”font-

eight: 400;">

n><

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

fou

-ex

mples-t

uck-d

ive

-negligence-c

n-c

use-se

ious-

ccidents

“> n style="font-

eight: 400;”>t

uck d

ive

c

n displ

y negligence<

sp

n><>n style=”font-

eight: 400;"> by:<

sp

n>

• eight: 400;”>B
  e

  king the l

  ; n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">Distcted d

  iving; n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">D

  iving

  hile intoxic

  ted (D

  I);<

  sp

  n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">Cutting cu

  ves too sh

  ply; n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">F

  tigue; n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">

  b

  upt l

  ne ch

  nges;<

  sp

  n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">F

  iling to

  ssess

  o

  d

  nd

  e

  the

  conditions;<

  sp

  n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">

  nd disobeying the st

  te

  nd fede

  l moto

  c

  ie

  egul

  tions.<

  sp

  n><

  li>

n style="font-

eight: 400;”>

cco

ding to the n><

h

ef="https:

/

.

me

ic

nb

.o

g

g

oups

public_educ

tionesou

ces/l

_issues_fo

_consume

s/inju

y_typic

l/”> n style="font-

eight: 400;”>

me

ic

n B

ssoci

tion<

sp

n><>n style=”font-

eight: 400;">, d

ive

s e held to

e

son

ble c

e st

ndds

t

ny time they e on the

o

d; the s

me goes fo

t

uck d

ive

s. If t

ucke

s displ

yed negligence, they could h

ve viol

ted the

pplic

ble st

nd

d of c

e

hich c

n only be p

oven

hen

leg

l c

se is filed. <

sp

n>

n style=”font-

eight: 400;">Vicious Li

bility in Othe

uto

ccidents<

sp

n><

h2>
n style="font-

eight: 400;”>Vic

ious li

bility depends on

hethe

the

e’s

sep

te p

ty

esponsible fo

the

ctions of

n individu

l. Employe

s, p

ents,

nd membe

s of

conspicy f

ce vic

ious li

bility.<

sp

n> n style=”font-

eight: 400;">The<

sp

n><

h

ef="https:

/

.justice.gov

jm/c

imin

l-

esou

ce-m

nu

l-2482-pinke

ton-vs-

iding-

nd-

betting”> n style="font-

eight: 400;”>Pinke

ton

ule n><>n style=”font-

eight: 400;"> s c

e

ted in 1946. T

o b

othe

s,

lte

nd D

niel,

e

e chged

ith viol

tions of t

x f

ud. They

llegedly committed conspicy

nd

ju

y found both guilty, yet the

e s no evidence of D

niel’s di

ect involvement. The Sup

eme Cou

t

uled th

t bec

use he h

d kno

ledge of the c

ime

nd did not

ithd

f

om the conspicy, D

niel

s

esponsible — o

vic

iously li

ble. <

sp

n> n style=”font-

eight: 400;">Simil to

iding

nd

betting, the Pinke

ton

ule cle

ly st

tes

conspi

cy must be p

esent

hile “

iding

nd

betting" is

b

o

d te

m th

t includes

nyone

ho kno

s of

c

imin

l

ct. <

sp

n> n style=”font-

eight: 400;">In

diffe

ent ex

mple f

om 2016, <

sp

n><

h

ef="https:

/

.insuncejou

n

l.com

ne

sest

2016/05/05/407633.htm”> n style="font-

eight: 400;”>t

o

omen filed cl

ims

g

inst Ube

n><>n style=”font-

eight: 400;">,

lleging the d

ive

s sexu

lly

ss

ulted them

hile using the

ide-shing

pp.

S

n F

ncisco judge

uled th

t Ube

s

esponsible fo

thei

d

ive

s, even though Ube

cl

ssifies them

s contcto

s.

hile it m

y be luc

tive to t

e

t d

ive

s

s contcto

s, the pl

intiffs gued th

t Ube

uses the business model to “dist

nce itself f

om li

bility,”

nd

llo

s fo “

illful blindness” in hi

ing d

ive

s. <

sp

n> <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

tex

s-

ec

e

tion

l-vehicle-

ccident-l

ye

“> n style="font-

eight: 400;”>

ec

e

tion

l vehicle (

V)

ccidents n><>n style=”font-

eight: 400;"> e

nothe

ex

mple

he

e vic

ious li

bility m

y

pply. Tex

s l

equi

es

V d

ive

s to o

n

cl

ss

o

Cl

ss B license, but this is not the c

se in eve

y st

te. M

ny d

ive

s f

om out-of-st

te e not qu

lified to d

ive ove

sized vehicles

nd c

n c

use seve

e

ccidents. If

n unqu

lified d

ive

boo

ed

n

V, then the o

ne

s of the

V could be held li

ble if the d

ivee

e to c

use

n

ccident. <

sp

n> n style=”font-

eight: 400;">

V

ccidents include:<

sp

n>

• eight: 400;”>
  ollove

  s; n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">

  e

  -end

  ccidents;<

  sp

  n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">Blo

  outs; n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">Sides

  ipe

  ccidents;<

  sp

  n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">

  nd imp

  ope

  ly secu

  ed equipment. <

  sp

  n><

  li>

n style="font-

eight: 400;”>

lthough

Vs c

n vy in size

nd

eight, m

ny

e comp

ble in size to 18-

heele

s,

nd they c

n c

use just

s much d

m

ge. <

sp

n>

n style=”font-

eight: 400;">D

m

ges fohich the Vicious Pty Is Li

ble n><

h2>
n style="font-

eight: 400;”>P

ties li

ble c

n be left to t

ke ce of monety d

m

ges. This includes:<

sp

n>

• eight: 400;”>Medic
  l bills;<

  sp

  n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">Lost ges;<

  sp

  n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">P

  in

  nd suffe

  ing; n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">Funel costs;<

  sp

  n><

  li>

• n style=”font-
  eight: 400;">

  nd othe

  d

  m

  ges th

  t

  esulted in the csh. <

  sp

  n><

  li>

n style="font-

eight: 400;”>Vic

ious li

bility c

n pl

y

big

ole in t

ucking

ccidents

nd othe

uto

ccidents. Bec

use so m

ny pties c

n be held li

ble in

t

ucking

ccident, it’s impo

t

nt to hi

e leg

l

id

ith

esou

ces to help dete

mine

ho is li

ble. <

sp

n> n style=”font-

eight: 400;">Need help choosing

<

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

choose-best-t

uck-

ccident-l

ye

“>t

uck

ccident l

ye

<>? Cont

ct the expe

ienced leg

l te

m of Ste

t J. Guss to h

ndle you

c

se —

v

il

ble 24 hou

s, seven d

ys

eek.