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Ownership Of Automobile As Prima Facie Evidence Of Responsibility For Negligence Of Person Operating It, Conly Purcell

University of Missouri Bulletin Law Series

Generally speaking, absent statutory change, an owner of an automobile is responsible for injuries resulting from its negligent operation by another, only if it is shown that, at the time of the injury, the relationship of principal and agent or master and servant existed between the owner and the operator, and that the operator was then acting in the scope of his employment. Ordinary human experience and knowledge show clearly that in the great majority of cases automobiles are operated by their owners or by some servant or agent on the owner's business. It is equally apparent that in the …