The Latin term “respondeat superior” means “let the master answer.” This centuries-old common-law doctrine implies the responsibility of superiors for the actions of their employees, subordinates, agents, etc., when done during an assigned duty. In other words, to hold an employer liable for an employee’s negligence, you must prove the employee was acting within the scope of their employment when they caused your injury. For example, if an employee causes a car accident while making a work delivery, the driver’s employer may be responsible. Whereas, if the employee causes a collision while running a personal errand on their lunch break, the employer will most likely not be liable.