Early last week, a Florida State Trooper was involved in a car accident with another vehicle causing injuries. According to a local news report, an SUV was driving on Del Rio Boulevard, with the state trooper following. As traffic began to slow down, the SUV driver slowed down as well. The trooper’s car hit the back right side of the SUV causing the SUV to overturn. There were two people in the SUV, and they were both taken to the hospital. Additionally, the state trooper was taken to a local hospital. Reports indicate that the injuries were minor, and no names have been released. Currently, charges are pending against the trooper and the investigation is ongoing. Florida and Vicarious Liability Like many states, Florida follows the theory of vicarious liability. This explains that a person other than the actual wrongdoer may be liable to the plaintiff for his or her injuries. Some instances where vicarious liability applies are in a parent-child relationship, or more commonly an employer-employee relationship. This is often referred to as “respondeat superior”, which basically means that an employer may be responsible for its employees’ actions to those to whom it owes a duty of care. For this theory to apply, the employees must be working within their scope of employment. This situation often occurs in trucking accidents. For example, a truck driver who is delivering goods for his or her employer may negligently cause an accident and damages to another driver. The victim may try to establish liability against the trucking company, since the driver was working for the employer. In the above situation, the SUV driver may attempt to bring a suit against the state police if he or she is able to establish that the officer was acting negligently while he was performing his job duties. These cases can be difficult because there are many defenses that both the employee and employer may try to present. Ocala Personal Injury Attorneys Accidents can be life-changing events, and in many cases there are one or more parties at fault. In the event that you have been injured as a result of the negligence of another party, you may be able to bring a claim against those parties. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for your past medical bills, your future medical expenses, funeral and burial expenses, and other damages related to your injuries. The Dean Law Firm is comprised of several dedicated attorneys who have years of experience litigating and settling personal injury lawsuits, including medical malpractice, wrongful death, and car accidents. Personal injury cases are more often than not complex and involve multiple parties, so an attorney is all but indispensable. Contact our office at 352-387-8700 to schedule a free initial consultation. More Blog Posts: Florida Helicopter Crash Results in $16 Million Verdict, Ocala Injury Lawyers Blog, published October 3, 2014. Tampa City Truck Driver Kills Toddler in Accident, Ocala Injury Lawyers Blog, published September 12, 2014.
