A lawsuit filed by a Troy teenager and his family against General Motors and the driver of a GM-owned pickup truck is drawing attention to a Michigan law that can make a vehicle's owner liable for injuries caused by another person's driving. The case, handled by Kajy Law Firm, stems from a crash last summer when the teen was 14 and was struck while crossing Square Lake Road at John R Road in Troy.
According to the firm, the teen was hit by a white GMC Canyon and pinned beneath the truck. An off-duty Troy firefighter captured the crash on a dash camera, and police cited the driver for careless driving. The family sued the driver and GM earlier this year. In October, GM filed a countersuit against the teen's parents, which the automaker withdrew on Oct. 20.
Attorney Lawrence Kajy said GM owned the truck and had provided it to an employee as a job perk. That ownership forms the basis of the family's claims against the company. "GM owned that truck and decided who would drive it," said Kajy, founder of Kajy Law Firm. "Michigan law doesn't let an owner step back and say somebody else was behind the wheel. If you hand over the keys, you share the responsibility."
Section 257.401 of the Michigan Vehicle Code makes the owner of a motor vehicle liable for injuries caused by its negligent operation when it is driven with the owner's express or implied consent or knowledge. The law presumes consent when the driver is the owner's spouse, parent, sibling, child or another immediate family member. The family is also bringing a negligent entrustment claim against GM, arguing that an owner can be held responsible for giving a vehicle to someone it knew, or should have known, was likely to drive unsafely.
Kajy said owner's liability claims arise more often than most drivers expect. A company car, a vehicle borrowed from a friend and a family car driven by a relative can all bring the owner into a case. In Metro Detroit, where automakers and other employers put company vehicles on the road, that question can decide who pays when someone gets hurt. "People hear 'car accident lawsuit' and assume it's only about the driver," Kajy said. "A lot of the time, the owner is the one with the insurance and the resources to cover what an injured person is facing. Knowing that can change the outcome for a family."
The implications reach beyond this single crash. For businesses that provide company vehicles to employees, the case underscores that ownership can carry legal exposure even when the owner is not behind the wheel. For injured people and their families, it highlights the importance of identifying all potentially liable parties, including vehicle owners, who may have the insurance and resources to cover damages. Kajy welcomed the withdrawal of GM's countersuit: "We're glad GM dropped the case against his parents. Now this can stay focused on what happened at that intersection and who is responsible for it." The case remains pending.
