If someone you loan your car to gets into an accident, you aren’t free of responsibility. Many people don’t realize that they don’t have to be behind the wheel of their car to get charged in an accident. This is what can happen if someone you loaned a car to gets into an accident in Texas.
Minors
Many parents are liable if their minor child gets into a car accident in a vehicle that the parent owns. This is because of the Family Car Doctrine. It’s not uncommon for teens to borrow their parent’s car, but parents do need to be cautious as they can face a lawsuit if their teen causes a car accident.
Bad drivers
If you loaned your car to someone who is a known bad driver, there’s a chance that you will be held liable for their car accident because of vicarious liability. When this happens, an individual might hire an attorney with experience in personal injury to help them figure out whether they are liable due to negligent entrustment.
Employees
Despite companies checking an employee’s driving history before letting them use a company car, an employee still may end up in a motor vehicle accident. Some companies do face legal ramifications when this happens if the employee is using the car to perform work-related duties, so if you are a business owner, be aware of this.
Individuals are often taken aback when they find out that they are getting sued because someone they loaned a car to got into a car accident. If you find yourself in this situation, an attorney may provide assistance.
