Video: Vehicle Technology, Liability, and Negligence
NAFA Philadelphia Chapter members crossed the Pennsylvania border for a Ride & Drive event in Delaware on a chilly October 9. The meeting was staged at the elegant DuPont Country Club in Wilmington.
The educational presentation was brought to members by John E. Cruickshank, Attorney from law firm Alaniz and Schraeder, L.L.P. Cruickshank. He relies on early liability assessments in discovery phase to see if a settlement can be developed to avoid a court appearance. In this video, Cruickshank says that the existence of potentially
effective vehicle technology can, in itself, pose a problem for fleet
without it.
He asserted that even if a company was only loosely connected with a case (as much as just existing near an accident site), "...they will named in the suit 100 percent of the time. And even if the lawsuit is frivolous, if the lawyer is sharp enough, they will get money from them," said Cruickshank, admitting that a company will almost always find a small settlement more favorable than a prolonged, expensive court case, even if the company feels they were in the right.
To view this video, click here.
