In at-fault accident states like Virginia, determining who caused your accident is necessary to recover damages. Here are a few parties that may be liable for your accident for different reasons.
Drivers
In most cases, at least one of the drivers involved in the accident is at fault for the accident. Generally, the driver may have acted negligently behind the wheel by failing to abide by traffic laws or otherwise driving recklessly or irresponsibly. Negligent driving behaviors may include driving while texting, exceeding the speed limit, or failing to merge safely.
Keep in mind that under Virginia’s contributory negligence laws, a driver that caused or contributed to an accident cannot recover damages for their injuries or damages.
Vehicle owner
If an at-fault driver was driving a vehicle belonging to another person, the owner of the vehicle may be held liable under the theory of negligent entrustment. In other words, if the owner allowed the at-fault driver to operate the vehicle, knowing that the driver was unlicensed or otherwise unequipped to operate the vehicle, the owner may be liable for the accident.
Employers
A driver may have been operating a vehicle while within the scope of his or her employment when the accident occurred. In such cases, an employer may be held vicariously liable for the accident caused by their employee while they were on the job.
Common carriers
If you were a passenger on a bus that was involved in an accident, you may sue both the bus driver and bus company.
Personal injury law is complex, and the circumstances of each case are unique. To maximize your possible compensation after an accident, it’s important to learn about all your options.