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I was the driver of another's vehicle. Can I sue the owner for permanent injuries when I was driving his car?

I was the driver of another's vehicle. Can I sue the owner for permanent injuries when I was driving his car?

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Attorney answers (3)

Reputation Level 16
Call me at 877-462-9732 because I need some more info to answer your question. Your answer, like many legal questions, is: IT DEPENDS. There are situations that might bring his insurance into play; but I wouldn't expect that there would be too many reasons to file a claim against him personally. I would like to hear all about it; so call me or email me directly at dphillips@inawreck.com. I'm in Ft. Lauderdale.

Reputation Level 9
You can sue someone in many states who owns the vehicle you were in if they caused you permanent injuries through their actions, as in when someone bumps the steering wheel while you were driving, or through their inaction, as when they failed to make needed repairs. The likelihood of success varies from case to case and from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

Michael J. Schreyer
michael.schreyer@vzw.blackberry.net

Reputation Level 12
It depends on how the accident happened. For example, was it because the vehicle's brakes failed? If so, then yes, you can sue the owner for negligent maintenance. If, on the other hand, it was because you ran a stop sign because you simply failed to stop, then the owner of the vehicle would not bear any responsibility, so you wouldn't want to sue him.

You can only sue the owner if his/her negligence caused your accident in whole or in part.

If you need an attorney in the Miami area, please feel free to e-mail me, and I can recommend one of my colleagues.

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