Work-Related Car Accidents: Who Is Responsible?

In just one ye

,

me

ic

n comp

nies p

id out <

h

ef="https:

/

.cdc.gov

niosh/moto

vehicle

ncmvs/pdfs/CMVSInfog

phic.pdf” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

nofollo

“>$25 billion

s esult of

o

k-

el

ted c

ccidents. > Settlement

mounts

nged

ny

he

e f

om $65,000 (fo

inju

ies) to $650,000 (fo

f

t

lities.)

he

e does this money come f

om? In these

ccidents, inju

ed victims

nd thei

f

milies

e

e compens

ted by the comp

nies’ comme

ci

l vehicle insunce policies.

o

kpl

ce vehicle

ccidents e mo

e common th

n you think.

s c

ccident

tto

neys,

e f

equently

ssist victims of FedEx t

uck

ccidents

nd UPS t

uck

ccidents. But

hethe

they’

e mino

o

m

jo

,

ecks involving comp

ny vehicles e complic

ted,

nd they c

n

dd mo

e st

ess to the

l

e

dy-confusing p

ocess of filing

pe

son

l inju

y cl

im

ften

uto

ccident. In

o

k-

el

ted c

ccidents,

ho is

esponsible? Is

n employe

li

ble fon employee's c

ccident? It

ll depends on the ci

cumst

nces. Beloe

dd

ess some common scenios

nd insu

nce options.

Tex

s

o

kpl

ce Inju

y Ls<

h2>
Tex

s

o

kpl

ce inju

y ls opete unde

t

o systems:

o

ke

s’ compens

tion

nd non-subsc

ibe

.

If you

employe

c

ies

o

ke

s’ compens

tion insunce, it

ill p

y fo

you

on-the-job inju

ies, no m

tte

ho

the

ccident h

ppened. Once they h

ve opted into

o

ke

s’ comp, employees do not h

ve the

ight to sue thei

employe

foo

k inju

ies. On the othe

h

nd,

“non-subsc

ibe

”

efe

s to

n employeho does not subsc

ibe to the

o

ke

s’ compens

tion system. They h

ve the potenti

l to be sued by thei

inju

ed employees.

h

t’s The Diffe

ence Bet

een

o

ke

s’ Comp

nd Li

bility Insunce?<

h2>

hen de

ling

ith comp

ny c

ccidents, diffe

ent types of insu

nce m

y come into pl

y. He

e’s

n ove

vie

:

o

ke

s’ compens

tion cove

s employees

ho

e inju

ed

t

o

k. This cove

ge includes medic

l bills f

om inju

ies sust

ined in

o

k-

el

ted c

ccidents,

s

ell

s some o

ll of the

ges victims miss out on

hile he

ling. Note: If

n employee s hu

t

hile d

iving thei

pe

son

l vehicle foo

k-

el

ted pu

poses, they m

y still be eligible fo

o

ke

’s compens

tion. Li

bility insu

nce p

ys fo

d

m

ges sust

ined by thi

d p

ties. (

“thi

d p

ty” is

nyone

ho is un

ffili

ted

ith the comp

ny, such

s

pedest

i

n o

d

ive

st

uck by

comp

ny vehicle.) In most

o

k-

el

ted c

ccidents, the employe

’s li

bility insunce covege p

otects employees f

om h

ving to p

y the inju

ed victims pe

son

lly. Li

bility insunce cove

s medic

l bills, lost ges,

nd p

in

nd suffe

ing. It

lso cove

s

n employee’s leg

l fees if they e sued by the thi

d-p

ty cl

im

nts.

Gene

l li

bility policies p

y fo

d

m

ges f

om

viety of situ

tions, such

s slips, f

lls,

nd otheccidents th

t occu

on comp

ny p

ope

ty.

Comme

ci

l vehicle policies

e comp

ny

uto insu

nce policies. These policies

o

k simil

ly to you

o

n pe

son

l c

insu

nce, but they tend to h

ve much highe

cove

ge limits!

If you d

ive foo

k

nd you

employe

does not p

ovide

dequ

te cove

ge vi

the

bove policies, p

otect you

self! Did you kno

you

pe

son

l c

insu

nce c

ie

m

y be

ble to deny you

ccident cl

im if you

e

e using you

pe

son

l vehicle fo

o

k? You c

n

void this by investing in

ddition

l insunce covege c

lled

“

ide

.” ide

is

n

dd-on to you

c insunce policy th

t cove

s

ccidents th

t h

ppen

hile you’

e using you

vehicle fo

business pu

poses.

hile you

tes

ill go up, you

employe

m

y be

illing to

eimbu

se you fo

the cost of this covege.

s

ith

ll insu

nce policies

nd thei

fine p

int, exceptions

nd conditions

ill still

pply.

hethe

you’

e

n employee o

thi

d-pty victim, the insunce comp

ny

ill t

y eve

y t

ick in the book to

void p

ying you fo

you

expenses.

<

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

c

–

ccident-

tto

ney-houston

“>c

ccident lye

> c

n p

otect youights

nd secu

e the m

ximum possible settlement fo

you.

<

id=”to-do”> >

h

t to Do

fte

C

sh

ith

Comp

ny Vehicle<

h2>
Eve

y c

ccident is diffe

ent, but the

fte

m

th of

comp

ny c

c

sh c

n be especi

lly t

icky.

fte

eck

ith

comme

ci

l vehicle, follo

these steps fo

best

esults:

• -level=”1″> ong>C

  ll fo

  help<

  st

  ong>. In

  ddition to

  eceiving medic

  l c

  e, you’ll

  nt to c

  ll 911 to summon police to the scene.

  police

  ccident

  epo

  t c

  n be c

  uci

  l evidence in

  c

  ccident c

  se!<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">ong>T
  ke photos

  nd collect info ong>. T

  ke plenty of photos of the

  ccident scene

  nd the d

  m

  ged vehicles. Collect identifying info

  m

  tion including the d

  ive

  ’s n

  me, the n

  me of the comp

  ny they

  o

  k fo

  , thei

  employee ID numbe

  , license pl

  te numbe

  ,

  nd p

  oof of insu

  nce.

• i
  -level="1">ong>Fill out
  n

  ccident

  epo

  t ong>. In

  ddition to getting

  police

  epo

  t, you should

  lso ensu

  e

  n

  ccident

  epo

  t is filled out by the comp

  ny

  ho o

  ns the comme

  ci

  l vehicle. You o

  you

  comp

  ny c csh lye

  c

  n obt

  in

  copy of this

  epo

  t.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">ong>Dete
  mine f

  ult ong>.

  fte

  ny

  ccident, the most impo

  t

  nt step — beyond t

  e

  ting

  ny inju

  ies, of cou

  se — is dete

  mining

  ho c

  used the

  ccident. Be

  e: the

  e c

  n be multiple

  t-f

  ult p

  ties. You

  c

  ccident l

  ye

  c

  n help you dete

  mine f

  ult by collecting evidence.

• i
  -level="1">ong>Figu
  e out

  ho

  ill p

  y ong>. Once f

  ult is dete

  mined, you c

  n figu

  e out

  hich insu

  nce policies c

  n help cove

  the victims’ expenses. See the next section fo

  mo

  e det

  ils!<

  li>

o

k-

el

ted

uto

ccident Scen

ios

Ho

does

n on-the-job c

ccident

o

k? Some unique leg

l issues m

y ise. Let’s figu

e out

ho is

esponsible in these th

ee hypothetic

l scen

ios:

→ I

s hit by someone

ho s d

iving

comp

ny vehicle.

T

ucke

s m

y c

use

tgic <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

houston-t

uck-

ccident-l

ye

“>t

uck

ccident >

hile d

iving foo

k. You

lso commonly she the st

eets

ith t

xi c

bs, buses, cement mixe

s,

nd

v

iety of othe

comme

ci

l vehicles.

h

t h

ppens if one of these vehicles hits you?

n employe

’s

esponsibilities include p

ying fo

inju

ies

nd p

ope

ty d

m

ge c

used by

ny of thei

employees

hile opeting comp

ny vehicles. If you

e involved in

c

ccident

ith

comme

ci

l vehicle, you c

n file

cl

im

g

inst the comp

ny

ho o

ns the vehicle.

Context is key he

e.

n employe

is

esponsible fo

n employee’s

ccident in

comp

ny vehicle du

ing

o

k hou

s. Ho

eve

,

n employe

is not

esponsible fo

n

ccident th

t h

ppens du

ing

commute, lunch, o

pe

son

l e

nd. If

n employee hits you

hile d

iving thei

o

n pe

son

l c

on the clock, you

ill fi

st tu

n to th

t employee’s o

n pe

son

l c insunce. If the employee does not h

ve

dequ

te cove

ge to compens

te you, you c

n then tu

n to thei

vic

iously li

ble employe

fo

compens

tion fo

you

inju

ies

nd p

ope

ty d

m

ge.

If you’

e coping

ith the

fte

m

th of

comme

ci

l vehicle

ccident, you’

e not

lone.

c

ccident

tto

ney is he

e to guide you th

ough the p

ocess, identify

ll possible lines of insunce covege,

nd help you m

ximize you

settlement

d. To find out mo

e

bout

h

t h

ppens in

o

k-

el

ted c

ccidents, get

f

ee consult

tion f

om ou

te

m

ight no

.

→ I

s in

n

ccident

hile d

iving

comme

ci

l vehicle foo

k.

cco

ding to Tex

s st

te l

,

n employe

c

n be held li

ble fo

inju

ies

esulting f

om

n

ccident involving

n on-duty employee. Ho

eve

, the

e

e limits to this cove

ge.

Comp

ny insunce

ill not cove

you if:

• -level=”1″>you
  e

  e unde

  the influence of d

  ugs o

  lcohol

• i
  -level="1">you committed

  c

  ime du

  ing the t

  ip (yes, even speeding counts!)<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">you

  e

  e

  unning pe

  son

  l e

  nds (kno

  n

  s

  “f

  olic” in leg

  l j

  gon)

• i
  -level="1">you

  e

  e

  n independent cont

  cto

  using you

  o

  n pe

  son

  l vehicle (fo

  food delive

  y d

  ive

  s, outside s

  les, c

  egive

  s

  in-home nu

  ses, etc)<

  li>

In these c

ses, you

employe

m

y be exempt f

om li

bility.

M

ny employe

s h

ve

comp

ny vehicle

ccident policy. The specifics of this policy

ill vy f

om business to business. Fo

ex

mple, in Ube

nd Lyft

ccidents, the

idesh

e

pps h

ve thei

o

n policies

nd insunce covege. If you le

se

comp

ny-o

ned vehicle — like

t

xi c

b — you

contct

ill specify ex

ctly

h

t you c

n be held li

ble fohile opeting the vehicle. Fo

mo

e help unt

ngling you

employe

’s comp

ny vehicle

ccident policy, consult

comp

ny c

c

sh l

ye

. If you

employe

o

ns the c

you’

e d

iving, the comp

ny insu

es th

t vehicle. The

efo

e, the comp

ny’s insu

nce

ill p

y the othe

victims if you e found

t-f

ult fon

ccident.

ddition

lly, if you c

use

c

ccident

hile d

iving

comp

ny vehicle

nd you

employe

h

s

o

ke

s’ comp cove

ge, you’ll still

eceive benefits, bec

use f

ult does not

ffect

o

ke

s’ comp. You

employe

’s insunce

ill

lso compens

te the thi

d-pty cl

im

nts

nd p

otect you f

om being sued by them.

Ho

eve

, if you

o

n negligence c

used

n

ccident in

comme

ci

l vehicle

nd you

employe

does not h

ve

o

ke

s’ comp covege, you’

e out of luck. You

ill h

ve to p

y fo

you

o

n expenses.

If

eckless d

ive

hit you

hile you

e

e d

iving

comp

ny vehicle, you c

n file

pe

son

l inju

y cl

im

g

inst them. Thei

uto li

bility insunce should p

y fo

you

d

m

ges.

ll Tex

s d

ive

s

e

equi

ed to c

y li

bility insu

nce.

You m

y be

ble to sue the othe

d

ive

fo

d

m

ges in

ddition to

eceiving

o

ke

s’ comp benefits th

ough you

comp

ny. Ho

eve

,

o

ke

s’ comp m

y t

y to t

ke some o

ll of the money you

eceive f

om the othe

d

ive

! Fo

ex

mple, if you

eceive $10,000 in

o

ke

s’ comp benefits

nd l

teeceive

$15,000 settlement f

om the

t-f

ult d

ive

’s insunce, you

employe

c

n pu

sue $10,000 of th

t settlement

s p

yb

ck.

comp

ny c csh lye

c

n help you negoti

te

isely

nd hold on to

s much money

s possible.

In the inte

est of p

otecting thei

fin

nces, employe

s m

y t

y to dodge the bl

me o

ccuse thei

employee of

cting i

esponsible o

“outside the scope of employment.” M

ny comp

nies

ill

equi

e d

ug testing fo

d

ive

s

ecently involved in

ccidents. They m

y

lso investig

te you

d

iving

eco

d fo histo

y of p

evious

ccidents.

If you’ve been in

o

k-

el

ted c

ccident, you m

y be feeling defe

ted

nd ovehelmed

s you de

l

ith multiple stubbo

n insunce comp

nies. Help is

v

il

ble. Meet

ith

c

ccident

tto

ney – f

ee vi

tu

l c

se ev

lu

tions

e

v

il

ble NO

!

→ I

s in

n

ccident

hile d

iving my pe

son

l vehicle fo

o

k.<

h3>
Unfo

tun

tely, employe

li

bility does not include cove

ge fo

ny p

ope

ty d

m

ge to

n employee’s pe

son

l vehicle. You

ill h

ve to use you

o

n c insunce covege in this c

se,

s

ell

s file

cl

im

ith the othe

d

ive

’s insunce c

ie

. If you e

t-f

ult

nd the othe

d

ive

’s d

m

ges exceed the limits of you

li

bility insunce covege, the victim c

n then go

fte

you

employe

.

Note: If

n employee s hu

t

hile d

iving thei

pe

son

l vehicle foo

k-

el

ted pu

poses, they m

y still be eligible fo

o

ke

’s compens

tion benefits. If you’ve been involved in

n

ccident

hile d

iving you

pe

son

l vehicle fo

o

k,

c

ccident lye

c

n help.

<

id=”

hen"><>

hen Is

n Employe

Li

ble fo Comp

ny C

ccident?<

h2>
Comp

ny c csh ls vy f

om st

te to st

te. So

hen e employe

s li

ble in c

ccidents involving thei

employees?

n employe

m

y be li

ble fo comme

ci

l vehicle

ccident if they:

• i
  -level="1">F

  iled to m

  int

  in thei

  fleet of

  o

  k vehicles<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Did not p

  ovide

  dequ

  te t

  ining

• i
  -level="1">Did not

  equi

  e employees to get p

  ope

  ly licensed o

  ce

  tified<

  li>

ddition

lly, if

n employe

p

essu

ed thei

employee to b

e

k

l

o

viol

te FMCS

egul

tions, the employe

c

n be held

ccount

ble. Fo

ex

mple, s

y you

e

t

uck d

ivend you

employe

ove

lo

ded you

schedule, viol

ting the “<

h

ef="https:

/

.fmcs

.dot.gov/

egul

tions/title49/b/5/3/list?filte

=Hou

s+of+Se

vice" tget="_bl

nk”

el="noopene

nofollo

">hou

s of se

vice<>”

ules. If you become exh

usted by this schedule, f

ll

sleep

t the

heel

nd c

use

n

ccident, you

employe

could be li

ble.

Employe

s e

lso

esponsible fo

m

king su

e thei

comp

ny vehicles

e s

fe to d

ive. This me

ns pe

fo

ming

outine m

inten

nce

nd s

fety inspections on thei

fleet. If you

e

e d

iving

comp

ny c

nd h

d

n

ccident due to

mech

nic

l f

ilu

e, you

employe

m

y be li

ble.

ith p

ope

t

ining, fleet m

inten

nce,

nd c

ution, most comme

ci

l vehicle c

shes

e p

event

ble.

But

h

t

bout

hen negligent employees c

use c

ccidents?

e thei

employe

s

esponsible then? To

ns

e

this question,

e’ll t

ke

look

t vic

ious li

bility.

h

t is Vicious Li

bility?

Vic

ious li

bility is

lso kno

n

s “

esponde

t supe

io

,”

hich is L

tin fo

"let the m

ste

ns

e

.”

s you might’ve guessed, vicious li

bility me

ns

n employe

is li

ble fo

the

ctions of thei

employees. Unde

vic

ious li

bility,

n employe

c

n be found

t f

ult fo

ny employee’s negligent

ctions du

ing

o

k o

hile the employee is d

iving foo

k-

el

ted pu

poses.

victim c

n sue

n employe

fony d

m

ge

n employee c

uses

hile on the clock, even if the

ccident h

ppens outside of the comp

ny’s p

emises. Fo

ex

mple, if

t

uck d

ive

hit you, you

ould sue the t

ucking comp

ny, not the d

ive

. Tip: Get the most out of you

comme

ci

l

ccident lsuit. Suing

n employe

is

lmost

lys mo

e successful th

n suing

n employee.

<

id="comme

ci

l"><>Comme

ci

l

uto

ccident D

m

ges<

h2>
D

m

ges f

om o

k-

el

ted

ccident cl

im include:

Medic

l expenses.<

h3>

hen

e meet

ith c

ccident victims, thei

numbe

one conce

n is p

ying fo

thei

medic

l bills.

c

ccident lye

c

n help! Ho

eve

, unde

Tex

s

o

ke

s’ compens

tion l, you

employe

ill be

ble to choose

ho you c

n see f

om

specific net

o

k of

o

ke

s’ comp docto

s.

P

in

nd suffe

ing.

n

ccident c

n be tum

tic, especi

lly if it left you

ith

dis

bility o

disfigu

ement.

e unde

st

nd you’

e coping

ith signific

nt ment

l

nguish,

nd

e believe you dese

ve compens

tion fo

it. Unfo

tun

tely,

o

ke

s’ comp does not cove

p

in

nd suffe

ing, but it c

n be included in you

l

suit

g

inst

non-subsc

ibe

.

ongful de

th

nd bu

i

l expenses.<

h3>
These d

m

ges

e p

id to

victim’s f

mily in the event of

<

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

houston-

ongful-de

th-

tto

ney

“>f

t

l

o

kpl

ce

ccident >.

Lost income.<

h3>
If you’

e hu

t in

o

k-

el

ted

uto

ccident, you’ll p

ob

bly need to t

ke some time off to

ecove

. If you h

ve to miss mo

e th

n seven d

ys of

o

k, Tex

s

o

ke

s’ compens

tion income benefits

ill p

ti

lly cove

these lost

ges.

Note: the <

h

ef=”https://

.tdi.tex

s.gov/ne

s

2018/d

c09212018.html" tget="_bl

nk”

el="noopene

nofollo

">Tex

s st

te

eekly

vege ge<> limits ho

much you c

n

eceive f

om

C income benefits. Cu

ently, the m

ximum

eekly benefit

tes fo

o

ke

s’ compens

tion income benefits is $938.

<

id=”f

q"><>Employee C

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Q<

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In

o

k-

el

ted c

ccident,

ill my employe

p

y my medic

l bills?

o

ke

s’ compens

tion should help p

y fo

you

medic

l bills,

egdless of

ho

s

t f

ult. If you

e

e hu

t

hile d

iving

comp

ny c

nd you

o

ke

s’ compens

tion cl

im

s denied, cont

ct

comp

ny c csh lyeS

P.

I

s in

n

ccident

hile going to

o

k. Does this count

s

o

k-

el

ted

ccident?

ccidents th

t h

ppen

hile commuting o

d

iving bet

een job sites en’t

l

ys leg

lly conside

ed “

cting

ithin the scope of employment.” This me

ns commuting inju

ies

e gene

lly not included unde

the umb

ell

of

o

k-

el

ted

ccidents.

My c

s hit in my

o

kpl

ce’s pking lot.

h

t c

n I do?

If you

c s d

m

ged in o

kpl

ce c pk, lot, o

g

ge, you

employe

is not li

ble. Inste

d, you must pu

sue the insu

nce of the individu

l

ho hit you.

h

t h

ppens if

n employee hits someone du

ing

business t

ip?<

h3>
If

n employee c

uses

eck

hile on

business t

ip, the employe

c

n be held

esponsible fo

d

m

ges,

lthough it might depend on

hethe

the employee s

ctu

lly

o

king o

not

t the time of the csh.

h

t is

n employe

’s

esponsibility fo

employee <

h

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“>d

unk d

iving >

ccidents?

If

n employee s d

iving d

unk

nd c

used

n

ccident, thei

employe

’s insunce must compens

te

ny thi

d-p

ty victims. The employe

’s insunce

ill not help the d

unk d

ive

p

y fo

ny of thei

d

m

ges.

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hy Hi

e

C

ccident Lye

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“>Ste

t J. Guss<><

figc

ption><

figu

e> Big comp

nies often h

ve skilled comme

ci

l vehicle

ccident l

ye

s on thei

side, so

hy shouldn’t you? If you

e

e hu

t in

n

ccident

ith

comme

ci

l vehicle,

c

ccident

tto

ney c

n help you:

• -level=”1″>investig
  te the

  ccident

  nd dete

  mine f

  ult<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">collect evidence

  nd inte

  vieitnesses<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">obt

  in copies of police

  epo

  ts,

  ccident

  epo

  ts,

  nd comp

  ny insunce policies<

  li>

• i
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  lcul

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  lue of you

  losses<

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• i
  -level="1">file

  n insu

  nce cl

  im o

  l

  suit

• i
  -level="1">negoti

  te

  ith insunce comp

  nies to secu

  e you

  m

  ximum settlement

  mount

Don’t

ste

ny mo

e time t

ying to comb th

ough the fine p

int

lone

nd une. In

ddition to ou

n

tion

lly-

ecognized dedic

tion to pe

son

l inju

y victims, ou

fi

m h

s extensive expe

ience

ith

o

ke

s’ comp c

ses.

n

uto

ccident l

ye

c

n set you on the

ight p

th

nd p

otect you

ights eve

y step of the y. Get you

<

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ee c

se ev

lu

tion > no

!