One of the most important issues on the minds of car owners is how to avoid serious accidents. However, if you’re concerned about car accidents, something you should be aware of is that you can be held at fault for an accident that you’re not even involved in. If your car is involved in an accident, even if you’re not in the vehicle, you may be held liable for any damages caused by your car.
Here are a few ways a car owner can be held at fault for a car accident, and discover when you should consult a car wreck lawyer.
You Allow Your Child to Drive
If you have a child, and you allow that child to regularly operate your vehicle, then you can be held responsible for any accident that your child is involved in. Teenage drivers are usually only allowed to obtain their license and drive a car with the express written consent of the parents, which means you also take on the legal accountability for an accident your child occurs.
What many parents don’t realize is that this responsibility can also extend to a car owned by your child if your child is underage. If you have a teenage driver that uses a family vehicle, or their own vehicle, it’s important that you purchase adequate insurance to protect yourself in the event of an accident.
Company Vehicles
An additional way that you can be held responsible for a car wreck in a vehicle that you are not driving is if you own a business and provide your employee’s company cars. Business owners are usually legally responsible for the actions of their employees when they are acting in a work capacity, and this includes operating company owned vehicles.
If company cars are a necessity for your business, then you need to make sure you are protected should those cars be involved in wrecks. In addition to fully covering all company vehicles, it’s a good idea to consult a car wreck lawyer to find out the best ways to legally protect yourself.
Loaning Your Car and Negligence
Lastly, if you loan your car out to someone who is a negligent driver, then you will almost always be held accountable for any wrecks that your vehicle is a part of.
Negligent drivers fall into a number of categories, so it’s important to examine a few of the most common types. First, an elderly driver can be considered negligent if they no longer possess the abilities necessary to safely drive a car. Secondly, an impaired driver is considered negligent. Finally, an unlicensed driver falls under the description of a negligent driver.
Allowing a negligent driver to use your car, even if you weren’t aware of their negligence, means you will be responsible for any accidents they cause with your vehicle.
Consult a Car Wreck Lawyer
After your car has been involved in an accident, you might need legal representation to help with your case. Hire a car wreck lawyer from the McMahan Law Firm to protect your rights.
The team at the McMahan Law Firm is dedicated to helping you with your car accident case and limiting your liability as much as possible. Get in touch with us today so we can have a conversation about the facts of your case.
