We’ve all seen the large commercial hauling goods across the county and then in the city picking up and delivering their hauls. But sometimes company cars aren’t so easy to spot. While some might have a logo or the company name, others look just like any other car. So what happens when we get into a crash with one of these?
Four Killed in Tragic Accident Involving Company Car
A 29-year-old man hit two vehicles killing four people in a crash Friday, February 14, 2020, on I-64 near Lousiville. According to police, the crash happened when the driver of a Ford F-250 crossed the median and hit a cable barrier flipping the truck that then hit two vehicles, one of them head-on. The occupants of one of the vehicles, two mothers and their daughters, were all killed.
The F-250 belonged to a concrete company that was being used by its employee. Police sought a search warrant and searched the employee’s personal vehicle finding marijuana paraphernalia. The driver admitted to smoking marijuana the night before, but police are unsure if he was impaired at the time of the crash. An arrest is pending waiting on the result of the toxicology report.
Who Pays when a Driver is in a Company Car?
The answer isn’t as easy as it might seem. If a company car is being used, then the company is on the hook for the damages, right? However, that’s not how Kentucky law works. A company is liable for the acts of their employee, but only when the employee is operating in the scope of the company’s business.
If the driver is using the vehicle to go to the store or out to dinner, then this would be personal use and not company business.
One way a company could be liable for a company car being used for personal use is if the accident is the fault of equipment failure or negligence in the maintenance of the vehicle. Something like driving on bald tires or in issue with the brake.
Insurance Policies
This can make a big difference because most companies have much larger liability policies to protect their company assets in case they are found liable. The difference between a personal policy and a company policy can be around $1 million. In tragic cases like the one mentioned above with four wrongful deaths, the amount of compensation for the surviving families can be considerably different.
In Kentucky, an insurance policy for personal vehicle coverage is $25,000 for each person and $50,000 max for each accident. This is much different than a million-dollar business policy.
If you’ve been injured in an accident involving a company car, don’t take the company’s word that the accident wasn’t in the scope of their business. This is a legal determination, and you need an attorney who can help you discern what your best options are for getting maximum compensation.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney Today
Accident victims often wonder if they need an attorney, and the answer is almost always yes. The insurance company agents have years of experience and are good at their job which is to pay you as little as possible or nothing at all. You need someone just as experienced to help you level the field.
Talk to a Louisville Personal Injury Attorney you can trust to be on your side and get you what is yours under the law. The attorneys at Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, have that knowledge and a combined 100 years’ experience in helping clients get the results they deserve. To discuss your case, call Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC today, at (800) 937-8443 or click here to contact them online.
