Many entrepreneurs are not fully aware of the fact that they can be held liable. This may be because products are not sound or because an error is made in the service. For example, a personal injury lawyer in Amsterdam (Dutch: letselschade advocaat Amsterdam) can let a limitation period expire or make a mistake during legal proceedings. The entrepreneur is then liable.
An entrepreneur can insure himself against liability. However, there are various types of liability insurance schemes for entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are also liable for more damage events than they often think at first sight. Did you know that you are not only liable for errors in a product or with regard to a service, but can also be held liable for injury to employees? In addition, as an entrepreneur you can also be held liable for damage in traffic.
Liability for occupational accidents
If an employee is involved in an accident at work and is injured as a result, it is possible that you as an employer will be held liable by your own employee for the personal injury that this employee suffers. This may concern medical costs and travel costs, but also loss of income in the event of incapacity for work.
Whether you are liable for the personal injury of your employee depends on various circumstances. The question of whether you are liable as an entrepreneur also depends on the country in which you work. For example, entrepreneurs in the Netherlands are in almost all cases liable if an employee has an accident during work. All personal injury, both material damage and immaterial damage, is then eligible for compensation.
Liability for road accident
Liability can also arise in traffic. This if you are involved in a traffic accident. For example, you are liable if you cause a rear-end collision (Dutch: kop-staart botsing). In that case, you or your company will probably be obliged to pay for the damage suffered by the personal injury victim. It is therefore important that you have good liability insurance for your car. This insurance then pays for the personal injury of the person who hit you.
Does an employee cause a traffic accident? Then there is a high probability that you as an employer are liable and not your employee.
You can also be injured in a car accident. And your employee can also be injured in a traffic accident. If someone else is liable, you and your employee will receive compensation for personal injury. You can file a personal injury claim for this with the liable party.
Did you or your employee cause the accident yourself? Then there is no right to compensation. Unless you have taken out a damage passenger insurance policy (Dutch: SVI verzekering). On the basis of this insurance, passengers receive personal injury compensation. It does not matter whether there is a liable party.
