Maybe the lawyers here are being smart about this.
1. The family of the deceased employee wants to sue the employer for $15M.
2. Michigan law does not allow them to do this (this is established under the state's worker compensation insurance law), so they sue the owner of the vehicle.
3. Michigan law DOES allow a customer to sue a business establishment, so the insurance carrier for the vehicle owner files a third-party claim for contribution from the business owner.
4. The family of the deceased gets $15M from the vehicle owner. The vehicle owner gets $15M from the business owner to cover his loss. Justice is done.
Even my umbrella insurance doesn't go this high, so I see the family bankrupted and being able to sue the oil change place to get some money back.
None of that is “justice done.”