Navigating Complex Employer Liability Issues in Wyoming
People sometimes ask us, “Is a company that hires a person whose negligence injures someone else liable for monetary damages?” The answer is YES if the negligent person was in the “course and scope” of their employment.
Are they “on the clock?” Are they driving somewhere on “company business?” OR does the company contend that they have deviated from the tasks of their employment and gone on some “personal mission?” The bottom line is that it depends on the evidence. Vickery & Shepherd has extensive experience in developing that evidence and holding employers liable for the negligence of their employees.
Another crucial question that often arises is, ‘Under what circumstances is the company liable for its own negligence?’ For instance, if the company has hired a person with a poor driving record or no driver’s license, or, as in our 2018 case in Cheyenne, WY, an over-the-road truck driver who spoke no English and could not read road signs.
Wyoming law on this matter can be quite intricate. However, our Firm is well-versed in it and has successfully navigated its complexities to hold the employer accountable for its own negligence.
A recent example is a case that was resolved in Cheyenne, WY, last year. An employee who was clearly and regularly drunk “clocked out” for a coffee break and went to fill her personal car with gasoline. She hit our client while still on her employer’s company property. We found a narrow exception in the law requiring “course and scope,” developed the evidence, and defeated the defendant company’s motion to throw our client’s case out as a matter of law. The client ultimately recovered money from the driver’s employer.
If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence at their workplace or due to a company’s own negligence, contact us today to discuss your case and explore your legal options. We are here to help you seek the justice and compensation you deserve.