Company Vehicle Accident

[GBWilliams]

What is the name of your state? Illinois

Hello. I worked for a company during my three months in Chicago that required the use of a company vehicle. The vehicle use policy was clear from the beginning, stating that the vehicle could only be used for work-related business. I never broke this policy. Typically, I would use the vehicle for going to the post office and our off-site storage unit, which were both tasks laid out in my job description. One day I was involved in an accident coming out of the post office. I found out after the accident that my employer had not registered the vehicle, which he owned, as a company vehicle, hadn't reported me as a driver to his insurance company, and had in fact allowed his insurance to lapse completely. He claimed that the lapse in insurance was abnormal, since he had it set up to automatically pay each month, and he'd received no word from his insurance company that his coverage had lapsed. He then informed me that if my insurance company ended up covering the accident, because I was driving someone else's vehicle, that he would reimburse me. He also went so far as to tell me not to worry about any of it, and that if it came to it, the company would cover it. My insurance company was investigating, but were hesitant to cover it, since they felt like it was the responsibility of the company, since the accident happened while I was working. Flash forward two months and I end my relationship with the company after the employer asks me to do something for the company that causes an ethical dilemma. I've since moved back home, to TN, and he is now threatening me repeatedly through e-mail, hurling insults at me, and telling me that I'm responsible for the damage to his company vehicle. Most people I've told this to seem to think he's just acting crazy, but I want to be certain. I just want to sever my relationship with this man, as he has proven to be increasingly unstable and was a terrible employer.

So, could I be held responsible, or is an accident in a company vehicle being used under the rules of the company policy, the responsibility of the company?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[FlyingRon]

The company would be responsible even if you were driving your own car on such company business. Tell him to speak to your lawyer from now on, you have no interest in talking to him further.

 

[GBWilliams]

I haven't employed a lawyer yet because it hasn't seemed necessary. Given this man's megalomanical tendencies, I've taken it all to be scare tactics in an attempt to maintain some sort of control over me, since he can't accept the fact that I quit his company. I quit, of course, after he asked me to help him lie and cover up the nature of his business in an attempt to continue to cheat the people who owned the building his shop was in so that he could continue getting cheaper rent.

If he hasn't made any threats of a lawsuit variety, can I just ignore his threats and sever communication with him now?

 

[ecmst12]

Was the accident your fault? If so, the at-fault driver is the PRIMARY responsible party in the event of an accident. The owner should have had the vehicle insured, of course, but you still caused the damage and are still responsible for the cost not only to the company vehicle, but also the other car that you hit (if you hit another car). If you provide your insurance company with a letter showing that the owner's insurance had lapsed at the time of the accident, they should not have a problem covering it for you. They may or may not be able to recover from your employer; if your employer pays the collision deductible for you, then who pays for the rest of the repair isn't really your concern. Your premiums may go up because of the at-fault accident, but that could happen regardless of whether they paid anything or not, simply because you were at fault.

If you were NOT at fault, then disregard all of the above and direct your employer to pursue the at-fault driver's insurance for compensation. But that doesn't sound like the case.