A driver is liable for their own negligence. That won't change just because she is working. But the fact she is working and commuting between offices does make the employer also liable. Ask the employer for a copy of the auto insurance declarations page to see the coverage limits. With this many people in the car and winter months coming up your question is timely. If the coverage is two million or more I wouldn't worry too much. If the coverage is less than two million she should ask the employer to increase the coverage. And you too; make sure you have high limits of coverage on your own auto policy that covers your wife.

My wife commutes from an Iowa office to a South Dakota satellite office. Several employees drive together in a company owned vehicle. The girls randomly take turns driving. I'm wondering what the liability is for the driver in the event of an accident. Not only pertaining to damage to the company car but also to the other passengers, other vehicles and or property.

 

A:

A driver is liable for their own negligence. That won't change just because she is working. But the fact she is working and commuting between offices does make the employer also liable. Ask the employer for a copy of the auto insurance declarations page to see the coverage limits. With this many people in the car and winter months coming up your question is timely. If the coverage is two million or more I wouldn't worry too much. If the coverage is less than two million she should ask the employer to increase the coverage. And you too; make sure you have high limits of coverage on your own auto policy that covers your wife.


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How long should I want to hear back from an adjuster for a claim?  I was in an automobile collision where I was not at fault in Aug 2010. I suffered a broken foot where I needed surgery. The adjuster was very nice and indicated he wanted to get this settled quickly. He said I needed to wait until the doctor released me from care before he could settle the claim. In June 20, 2011, I sent him a letter with a packet of photos, copies of medical bills, pay stubs, explanation of the collision, etc. I also told him I expected to hear back from him 30 days from the date of the letter. On July 20th, 2011, He left a phone message saying he needed to get the medical bills directly from the facilities and needed to contact my health insurance for a lien (since they paid for most of my care). That was the last time I heard from him. It is now Jan 24, 2012 - over 6 months later. I did some research and found that the statute of limitations for personal injury is 6 months from now (2 years after the collision). Is waiting 6+ months to hear back from the adjuster as he collects this information Bad Faith?

Is it a valid excuse that my tire dropped off the shoulder just before I overcorrected, lost control and went over the center line, where the accident happened?

What can I do if I was involved in a car accident with no insurance? On Dec. 17th, I broke my pelvis when a car hit my car head-on. I was turning left at a green light, as though it were a green arrow in a moment of mental lapse. The truck was full speed as the light changed, as he was anticipating it as he approached. I have no insurance, and my plates were expired since I am unemployed, a single mom, and was waiting until after Xmas to take care of these expenses. I was dumb, I know, but what happens now? Am I going to be sued? How is fault determined in this case? Note: his 2003 Ford was also totaled by insurance, but he was uninjured.

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