Can i be sued for a accident that was done in my car but i was not the driver nor was i in the state.My mother has my car and let her friend drive the vehicle and she got into the accident. Now the other party that was involved in the accident is trying to sue me and get my license suspended. Attorney answers (3)
This question is state specific. In many states, there are a few possible derivations of this fact pattern that could create liability. Two leap to mind: (1) You friend was running an errand on your behalf, or (2) you were negligent in entrusting your vehicle to your friend because you knew or had reason to know that you friend would not be operating your care safely.
In most cases neither of these factors are present or any other factor that could create liablity for you personally. But I would have to know more facts - including what the claims are - to have a clearer picture.
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Much of this goes to the question of who is a "permitted driver" pursuant to the policy on the car.
I would be happy to discuss this in greater detail with you. Call me at 773-944-9737.
The license suspension and being sued are seperate issues. Unless there are other facts that you haven't included, lending your car to your mother doesn't provide a likely basis for the suspension of your driver's license. The question of whether you can be held responsible for the accident can't be answered without some additional facts. I assume that you had auto insurance. Make sure that you notify your insurance company of the accident. This is important because you don't want to give the insurer a reason to try to back out of its obligation to defend you if you do get sued by the person who your Mom's friend hit.
Good luck Michael Clancy www.clancylaw.com |