Who Is Liable in a Car Accident?
Most car crash claims begin with the other driver, but the driver is not always the only party who may be responsible. The vehicle owner, an employer, a government agency or a parts manufacturer may also play a role. Finding every responsible party is one of the first jobs of an auto accident lawyer, because each party may have separate insurance.
Claims against the driver
Negligence asks whether a driver failed to act with reasonable care. Common examples include speeding, distracted driving, impaired driving, following too closely and failing to yield. In many states, violating a traffic law can be evidence of negligence, and some states treat it as negligence per se. A traffic citation helps a claim, but it is not required to prove fault, and paying a ticket is treated differently from state to state. A car accident attorney will compare the driver's conduct with the traffic laws of the state where the crash happened.
Owners and rental companies
If the driver borrowed the car, the owner's insurance policy often covers permissive drivers. An owner who lends a car to someone known to be unlicensed, impaired or reckless may face a negligent entrustment claim. Rental and leasing companies are treated differently. A federal law known as the Graves Amendment generally protects them from liability for a renter's negligence, unless the company was negligent itself, such as by renting a car with known brake defects.
Drivers on the job
When a driver is working within the scope of employment, the employer is generally responsible for the driver's negligence under respondeat superior. This can cover delivery drivers, sales staff and others who drive as part of the job. Rideshare crashes raise separate coverage questions, because the coverage that applies can depend on whether the app was on and whether a ride had been accepted. A car accident lawyer will usually ask for the employer's policy along with the driver's own.
Government agencies and manufacturers
A broken traffic signal, a missing stop sign or a dangerous road defect may involve a government agency. Claims against public bodies come with special immunity rules and short notice deadlines, which vary by state. When a defective tire, brake or airbag contributed to the crash or the injuries, the manufacturer can face a product liability claim. Open recalls can be checked with the vehicle identification number on the NHTSA recall lookup. In some states, a bar that served a visibly intoxicated driver may face a dram shop claim.
When a passenger is hurt
Passengers who are hurt may have claims against one driver or both, including the driver of the car they were riding in. Coverage may come from the policy on the passenger's vehicle as well as from the other driver's policy, and in some cases from the passenger's own policy. Some policies limit claims between members of the same household, so the exact policy language matters.
How shared fault affects the claim
Most states apply comparative negligence, which may reduce a recovery by the injured person's percentage of fault, while a small number still apply contributory negligence. States also https://elliottfqob016.valiantfield.com/posts/how-to-choose-a-car-accident-attorney differ in how fault is divided among several defendants. An automobile accident lawyer reviews every possible party, since a single policy may not cover the whole loss. This is general information and not legal advice, and it cannot predict how a claim will turn out.