What is Liability?
Liability is the legal responsibility for one’s acts or omissions; an obligation one is bound to by law to perform, typically involving the payment of monetary damages. It is one of the most significant words in the field of law.
According to Black’s Law Dictionary, liability is defined as “the state of being legally responsible for something, such as a debt or obligation.” As such, it assumes that a person is responsible for the harm they cause another. There are several different types of liability including contractual liability, when one party breaks a contract, tort liability from civil wrongs, or strict liability where a party is held responsible for damages, regardless of fault.
Liability is important in law because it ensures individuals are held responsible for their actions, and that injured parties receive compensation. An example of a liability is a driver who causes an accident by driving recklessly. The driver will be held liable for any resulting injuries to people and property. Understanding liability is essential for individuals, businesses, and legal professionals to navigate legal responsibilities they owe to others.
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DriveCam: A Trucker’s Best Friend or Worst Enemy?
We’ve been hearing a lot lately about a product called DriveCam. These little video cameras are starting to pop up in tractor-trailers and commercial vehicle across the country. The camera is mounted near the rear-view mirror and records video and audio 24/7. However, the DriveCam is similar to a black box in that, it only keeps a few seconds of footage before and after an occurrence of “exceptional force” (i.e. hard braking, swerving, collision, etc.).
The company claims that using their product can help other companies identify and improve risky driver behaviors, thus, reducing vehicle damages, workers’ compensation and personal injury costs by 30 to 90 percent. That’s quite a claim. Watch a CNN interview with the CEO of DriveCam here.
Some truckers are against DriveCam, feeling like “Big Brother” is invading the cab. However, some are excited about its possibilities. […]
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Follow the Golden Rule . . . Give Notice As Soon As Possible
If you are hurt at work, the most important thing to remember is to report the injury to your employer through your supervisor at the time of the injury. Every injury should be reported, no matter how small you may think it to be. Any injury could potentially become a liability, not only to your health but also to your finances if it is unreported. Telling your employer that you are injured is your responsibility and it is called “giving notice.”
Too many times an employee will feel a “pop” in their knee, a pain in their shoulder or their back, and let it go for days or weeks. Not reporting an incident or injury can allow your employer to deny your claim through their insurance carrier. This can initially prevent your medical expenses and/or wage loss from being paid if the treating physician should later remove you from work due to the injury. […]
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