If you’re like many employees, you routinely drive a company car or truck to work or while you are on the job. From business executives to pizza delivery drivers, using your employer’s car for transportation is a necessity. When an employer has a company car, they maintain the insurance on that vehicle. But what happens when you get into a car accident on company time in the company vehicle? What happens when you’re driving that same car on personal time? Who pays?
In general, who pays for your accident depends largely on what the employee was doing at the time of the accident. If the employee was performing their duties at the time of the accident, then the employer would be responsible for the accident and for the injuries sustained. Examples of this would include driving to a meeting, meeting with clients, driving to run office errands, and delivering goods.
If the employee was driving the company car for personal reasons, however, then the employer may not be responsible for the accident. Instead, the employee may be responsible. Examples of this would include running personal errands on their lunch break, driving family around in the company car on the weekends, and going to a doctor’s appointment.
Further Reading: What is the Safest Seat in a Car Accident
As you can see, it is very important to clearly establish liability in accidents that involve company vehicles. Employers are always looking to limit their own liabilities and may erroneously claim that their employee was not performing company work at the time of the accident. This can complicate personal injury claims especially if the employee doesn’t carry enough insurance themselves. If you are not able to clearly establish employer liability, you could be left paying the bulk of your medical expenses, lost wages, and disabilities.
Due to the complexities surrounding car accident claims and company vehicles, it is important to contact an experienced car accident attorney immediately. Your attorney will need to go to work at once to build a case that is designed to obtain the maximum compensation. To do this, your attorney may have to comb company records, interview other employees, and review your work history to determine what jobs you were asked to perform at work. All of this can help establish liability and ensure that you receive the money you need.
Contact Our Pueblo Car Accident Attorneys
If you are injured in a car accident because of another person’s negligence, it is important to talk to an experienced Pueblo car accident lawyer immediately. Your lawyer can help you review all of your legal options and choose the legal path that is best for you during this difficult time. Call Pueblo attorneys at Smith & Smith, today for a FREE CONSULTATION – (719) 544-0062.
