Church struck by tractor-trailer

When truck accidents occur in Manassas, the first question that many may ask is who should be held liable: the truck driver or the truck company that employs? On the surface, it may seem that since the truck driver’s actions directly contributed to a truck accident, they are the only one that can be held responsible. At the same time, an argument may be made that without the need to fulfill the obligations of their job, the trucker would never have been in a position to cause the accident in the first place. 

The legal principle of respondeat superior holds employers liable for the actions of their employees. For this principle to apply, however, it must be shown that the employee was acting within the scope of their employment when the accident occurred. Whether or not that was the case in a recent accident that occurred in Chatham, Virginia was not reported. The truck driver involved was charged after his tractor-trailer left the road, struck several parked cars in a church parking lot, and finally ran into the church itself. Thankfully, only the driver was injured in the collision (and his injuries were reported to be minor). Yet major damage was done to the church. The company whose truck was involved in the accident has reportedly reached out to the church offering its assistance. 

Yet does it need to? The driver in this case was charged with reckless driving, so it could be argued that even if he was on the clock when the accident occurred, he should not have been driving recklessly. Regardless of who is ultimately liable in cases such as this, compensation may be needed to help accident victims recover. Such compensation may be more likely to be earned if one was the assistance of an experienced attorney.