What is vicarious liability?

Vicarious liability is a legal concept that holds a person or business responsible for the actions of another. In Washington, vicarious liability applies to accidents caused by the negligence of an employee or agent of a business. For example, if a business sends an employee out to make a delivery, and the employee causes an automobile accident in the process, then the business is held liable for the damages caused by the crash, no matter if the employer was directly at fault or not. The legal principle of vicarious liability applies even if the employee was technically not in the course of their business at the time of the accident. It can also apply if the employee was engaging in activities that the employer did not know about or condone. In short, an employer can be held liable for actions of their employees, even if those actions are outside the scope of their employment.

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What is vicarious liability?

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