Tort Liability for Independent Contractors. Principal not liable for torts.It is not mere agency, however, which fixes tort liability upon a principal. In order to prevail in a premise liability claim, the Texas Tort Claims Act further breaks defects into two classes: special defects and premise defects. An agent may be solely liable to a third party for tortious conduct in certain circumstances. At Dolman Law Group, we have experience representing injured individuals in their personal injury claims and successfully recovering financial compensation. The general rule is that a principal is liable for torts only if the servant committed them "in the scope of employment. The ease of proving liability. Watch Expert CA Bar Exam Instructor and Tutor Shana Karpeles, Esq. Similarly, a principal who is negligent in his use of agents will be held liable for their negligence.