Fall Onto Trailer Attached to Insured Vehicle Considered an 'Auto Accident'

The Supreme Court of Mississippi ruled that a fall from scaffolding built on a trailer attached to a pickup truck was considered an “auto accident” under the insured’s auto policy. The case is Miss. Farm Bureau Cas. Ins. Co. v. Powell, 336 So. 3d 1079 (Miss. 2022). 

Anthony Powell erected scaffolding on a trailer attached to his pickup truck for workers to use when installing roof trusses in a barn. After a truss was installed, Powell drove the truck to where the next truss needed to be installed. The truck was parked and turned off while the trusses were installed. Trent Craft and a co-worker were installing the trusses on the day of the accident. When Craft and his co-worker went to have lunch, the co-worker jumped from the scaffolding to the trailer, which rocked the trailer and sent Craft crashing to the trailer bed. Craft’s head hit the trailer bed and severely damaged his eye socket. Craft subsequently filed suit against Powell.