Which of the following defines vicarious liability?

Vicarious liability refers to the legal concept where one party can be held liable for the actions or omissions of another party, typically in the context of an employer being responsible for the actions of their employee. This is rooted in the principle that a party who has a certain degree of control or relationship over another party should also bear some responsibility for the latter's conduct, especially if the actions occurred in the course of their employment or within the scope of their duties.

The essence of vicarious liability is the relationship existing between the parties, notably in employer-employee scenarios, where the employer may be held liable for negligent acts committed by an employee while performing job-related tasks. This principle emphasizes accountability and serves to protect those harmed by the employee's misconduct by ensuring that an employer, who often has greater resources, can compensate the victim.

This definition makes it clear why the other options do not correctly capture the essence of vicarious liability. While personal liability refers to actions taken by an individual themselves, vicarious liability involves a secondary liability based on the relationship to the offending party. Additionally, while liability for criminal acts relates to a company being responsible for crimes it commits or facilitates, this is not the same as vicarious liability, which primarily