Problem:
Nancy is an employee at a local pizza restaurant. The restaurant has a small eat-in dining room, and they also deliver. One day, the restaurant ran out of paper towels for the restroom, and Nancy was asked to take the company delivery vehicle to buy more supplies. On her way out, the manager also asked Nancy if she would stop by the dry cleaners and pick up his wife's laundry.
Nancy purchased the paper towels and was on her way to the dry cleaners when the brakes on the company vehicle failed. This caused Nancy to run into a telephone pole, breaking her leg. A subsequent investigation revealed that the brakes had not been maintained according to the company's written policy for vehicle maintenance.
Nancy comes in to your law office and says that she wants to be compensated for her lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and punitive damages for the company's negligence in not maintaining the vehicle properly.
Advise Nancy about her options.