News stories are constantly hitting the air waves regarding traffic accidents of all types in Seattle. When these stories are reported, many readers will simply look at any names of the victims and/or the location of the crash, as most read news such as this based on how it could relate to them on an individual basis. While that’s certainly normal behavior, we posted Washington crash statistics recently and explained that they are extremely high in number.
While this means that there could come a time when all that needs to be remembered and handled in response to an auto accident will be put into action, what many do not think about is how the type of vehicle involved in an auto accident could affect your legal rights. Today, we’re going to cover a corporate, company-owned vehicle, and in the days that follow we’ll discuss a government vehicle and a private vehicle.
If you have been injured by a vehicle that seems to be owned by the driver’s place of employment, there are positives and negatives involved with this situation as they relate to your legal rights. Generally, it could be a positive because the vehicle is owned by a company and not an individual, which means that the financial viability and ability to pay damages is greater with this structure than with most individual drivers. Additionally, a company may be willing to settle a liability claim quickly in order to keep the story out of the news.
However, there are negatives involved as well. For instance, not all drivers of company vehicles are employees. Some are independent contractors, which means that the driver as an individual could be solely responsible for any accidents that occur. The situation could also prove problematic if the company follows a policy of fighting any claims like these, as they will have the wherewithal to hire an entire team of defense attorneys to deal with the problem.
Regardless, the first place you need to start is by leveling the playing field and getting into some particularized discovery of structure between the driver and company, the liability limits for each and how to deal with the defense attorneys that could be involved. In short, you’ll need the help of the Seattle auto accident attorneys at Phillips & Webster to make sure that your rights are enforced and protected. Contact the firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.