What is a valet’s liability regarding damages to a car?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What is a valet’s liability regarding damages to a car?
I own a valet company. One of my employees was struck by a non-valet car that was driving through our parking lot to another destination. My employee got knocked off his feet onto the hood of the car. Angry after getting struck, he punched the car’s hood, resulting in a nice little dent. Since this was not a valet vehicle and my employee was not operating a vehicle at the time, who is responsible for the damages to the car? My company? My employee? The driver of the car who hit my employee?
Asked on August 7, 2012 under Accident Law, Texas
Answers:
Leigh Anne Timiney / Timiney Law Firm
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Likely your employee would be responsible for the damages to the vehicle. As an employer, generally you are not responsible for damages caused by your employee unless the damage occures while your employee is acting within the normal course and scope of their employment and acting to benefit their employer. In this case, your employee punching the hood of a vehicle which just struck him is not acting for the benefit of his employer.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.