Is an owner operator responsible to pay for damages to company trailer?

I do have pictures from the repair shop that it's at. What I believe happened is he hit a high curb or something immovable loaded going too fast. In the back of my mind though I wonder about whether or not I will have someone coming after me in the future for property damage or worse. The axle is definitely bent. The tires on the bent axle went from being fine to cords showing in 4 days because he didn't tell us that something had happened, apparently he thought it was important to tell us that we needed to get new tires for the trailer but not that he freaking ran something over the week before. It is a air ride stepdeck trailer and he had (if I'm correct as to when it happened) about 45K on it. As of right now I am going to let him voluntarily pay for the damage since he is offering and then I'm gonna let him go. I am getting more upset by the day and all the wondering of what may have happened. I guess I'd rather have him pay for the damage now and worry about if he decides to come back at me after I let him go, when the time comes.

 

I am not tricking him into anything. What are you 2 yrs old. He is voluntarily paying for the damages because he was the idiot who wrecked the trailer and LIED to us about it. I have not asked him to pay for anything and I have not told him whether or not he will be continuing to work for us either. If he assumes that he will be coming back to work for us that is his problem. I am a honest person dealing with a dishonest person but I am not an idiot and will not be taken advantage of

 

mmkay whatever you say. So are you saying I should look past all the lies that he is telling us, go ahead and take it up the rear with the repair costs even though a lot of them are caused because he lied to us in the first place and just say thank you very much for your service? I'm sorry I am not in business to lose money, are you? You obviously don't understand what is going on because I have been nothing but fair and honest with this guy and this is what I get in return. I respect your opinion but I don't agree with it And may I say this is the third time this has happened with this guy so I guess I should have gotten rid of him along time ago but I always give people the benefit of the doubt.

 

I understand. Thanks.