Explaining the Doctrine of Respondeat Superior

This month we covered a Texas truck accident lawsuit filed in Marshall County by a commercial truck driver who was injured in an October 2010 crash.

According to court papers, Cathy Guignet could not avoid a jackknifed truck in the road and slammed into it, causing serious and permanent injuries. The jackknifed trucker was later cited for following too close and for speeding.
In Guignet’s personal injury lawsuit, she claims that East Clay Carriers, the employer of the speeding trucker, is liable for damages due to the doctrine of respondeat superior. This Latin phrase translates literally to “let the master answer” and means that an employer may be responsible for the action of its employees during the workday. When it comes to truck accidents, it means that trucking companies may be responsible for any accidents caused by their truck drivers.
In the case of Guidgnet’s Texas personal injury lawsuit, she claims that the trucking company should compensate her for her injury and other losses because of the trucking company’s “negligent hiring and retention, negligent supervision and training and negligent entrustment.”

Do you have a claim?

If you’ve been involved in a Texas truck accident, it is imperative that you understand exactly who is at fault. If a trucker made a key mistake that caused the crash, the trucking company may also be at fault for the crash. To better understand your possible injury lawsuit, speak with the Dallas truck wreck lawyers at Rasansky | McKenzie Law today.