There may be someone else liable for your accident besides the other driver. Who are the 5 most common non-drivers responsible for an accident?
Social Host
Some states have social host and/or dram shop liability. Providers of alcohol to a driver whose alcohol consumption contributes to a car accident may have legal responsibility. Serving underage drinkers or obviously intoxicated drinkers may trigger liability. In order to prove the alcohol contributed to the cause of the accident, service policies, witness accounts, and bar tabs are all areas that must be investigated.
Employer
Employees, especially professional drivers, must be adequately screened and vetted in the hiring process to minimize driving accidents. Employees with prior DWI or vehicular manslaughter convictions, employees with drug or alcohol abuse issues, and employees with mental or physical disabilities that make them risky drivers should be excluded from jobs that involve significant driving. Employers must also ensure that drivers who need additional training receive the training needed to operate heavy-duty or special purpose vehicles. Additionally, employers who overwork drivers or cause them to ignore road safety issues, such as state or federal laws, may bear responsibility for automobile wrecks.
Vehicle Maintenance Issues
Both employer and third-party repair shops and maintenance facilities may play a role if inadequate maintenance of a vehicle is in question. If faulty maintenance is suspected, the vehicle must be located and preserved to provide evidence of the faulty or inadequate repairs.
Roadway Hazards
All kinds of road conditions may play a role in your auto accident. A lack of median barriers, excess gravel, serious potholes, or road excavations may affect the safe operation of motor vehicles. Structures adjacent to roadways, like guardrails, signs, curbs, and even vegetation, may also be a problem. These conditions are often exacerbated by ongoing road construction or maintenance efforts. As such, design plans and any related traffic control plans can place liability on the government and any outside contractors involved.
Automotive Products Liability
In any case involving significant injury or death, you must consider whether there was presence of a dangerous or defective automobile part. If this is a possibility, obtaining and preserving the automobile must be done promptly after the accident occurs. Typical issues involve restraint system failure, seat-back failure, rollover protection, ejection issues, fire susceptibility, and traction and stability issues. Tire performance and car seat performance are also common areas that must be considered.
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