Opinion ID: 2633498
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Liability issues relating to Enterprise as a party to the second lawsuit

Text: The second action against Enterprise is problematic as a matter of substantive insurance and tort doctrine. Absent an independent ground for liability, i.e., agency liability, negligent entrustment, or some statutorily created liability, a Nevada motor vehicle owner is not per se vicariously liable in tort for the negligence of a permissive user. Thus, absent agency or negligent entrustment, Enterprise's liability must arise from some statutory imperative, such as NRS 482.305(1), imposing joint and several liability in the event the lessor fails to provide the required minimum coverage. However, as noted, the lessor's provision of insurance or other posting of security for the lessee's potential liability immunizes the lessor from liability stemming from any accident involving the short-term lessee. This being the case, assuming the short-term lessee has not waived the coverage, a relationship akin to that of an insurer/insured arises as between the lessee and the lessor's insurer or the lessor acting as an insurer. [11] Accordingly, the lessor's obligation to pay is conditioned solely upon the legal liability of the lessee to a third party for damages. Thus, Enterprise as a self-insured entity is only obligated to pay benefits if the customer is liable; it is not itself directly liable in tort to persons injured by rental customers.