Am I or my employer liable for damages?
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Am I or my employer liable for damages?
I drive a commercial vehicle bus. I pulled over to the far right lane of traffic with my hazard lights on to back up to park. I had put the vehicle in neutral and pulled the brake to look at my parking instructions and checked my mirrors and saw the closest vehicles behind me are about 2 blocks back and at a red light so now is my chance to back up to park the vehicle. What I couldn’t see is a car pulled up a foot off of the rear bumper of my bus and as I proceeded backwards impacting the front of their vehicle. Now this vehicle wasn’t in a parking spot nor was this vehicles intention of parking. She pulled up and just sat behind me. I’m not sure if it was out of sarcasm, ignorance or distraction. I am in FL where this happened but am a TN licensed driver in a TN registered vehicle. Being the car behind me was in my commercial blind spot which is if I’m not mistaken a law and trained not to be in when you get your license. Does that make the driver of the car liable for paying for repairs to their own vehicle? For a clearer understanding of the roadway I’m on. It was a city surface street 4 lanes wide and I needed to back into a location with a band up and moving around on my Entertainer coach meaning that I make no sudden or fast movements with the vehicle/bus as I can hurt my passengers severely. I know there was no way possible this driver could see my mirrors as I couldn’t even see the tail end of their car. I had mentioned to them to have us settle this without insurance but after doing my due diligence I’m partially realizing I might not be partially or completely at fault at all.
Asked on November 30, 2018 under Accident Law, Tennessee
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
Since your employer is the registered owner of the vehicle, your employer is liable for the accident. Your employer is also liable because an employer is liable for the negligence of an employee that occurs in the course and scope of employment. Since you backed into the vehicle, the other driver is not liable.
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