In Georgia, there are special rules for government employees when it comes to personal injury lawsuits. You cannot sue a municipal employee for any “tort involving the use of a covered motor vehicle while in the performance of his or her official duties.” Instead, you must sue the local government that employed the negligent worker. Georgia law waives sovereign immunity in such cases up to a certain amount of damages.
Guice v. Brown
Recently the Georgia Court of Appeals held that a trial court erred when it failed to dismiss a lawsuit arising from a car accident involving an employee of the City of Rockmart in Polk County. The defendant was installing road signs and driving a city-owned truck. While returning to his office, he decided to cut through a shopping center parking lot to avoid traffic. As the defendant exited the parking lot and attempted to cross several lanes of traffic, he was struck by the plaintiff’s car.