On June 1, it was reported that a man filed a lawsuit against his employer in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on May 20 after he was involved in an automobile accident. The car crash reportedly occurred on Jan. 19 while the plaintiff was traveling to his work site.
According to his lawsuit, the man was traveling as a passenger in a vehicle that was owned by the employer when the driver suffered a seizure. This caused the vehicle to leave the roadway and crash in a nearby field, causing the man to suffer severe injuries. These injuries reportedly included herniated discs. The man also alleged that, due to physical pain and mental anguish, he was unable to work and sustained a decrease in his earning capacity.
The man is alleging that his employer is responsible for the accident after it allowed the driver to operate the vehicle when knowing that he suffered periodic seizures. The plaintiff is seeking a variety of damages, including maintenance and cure and punitive damages, and he is also seeking attorney’s fees, court costs and expenses.
No matter where or under what circumstances a car crash occurs, those who are passengers can suffer serious injuries. In this case, the plaintiff apparently chose to bring an action against his employer on the theory that the employer negligently entrusted the care and operation of the vehicle to a driver who it knew or should have known was prone to the type of seizure that ultimately resulted in the crash.
Source:: The Louisiana Record, “Seaman sues employer over auto accident injuries”, June 6, 2015
