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WA state personal injury law, car accident, liability of car owner, car sale pending
Seattle, WA
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Posted about 1 year ago in Car / Auto Accident
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Hit & Run that I didn't do.:
I was in the process of selling my car, to what I now know to be a very shady person. He never paid me for the car, so I told him not to drive it and I never put the car in his name. He got in a accident and so I signed the car over to a dump to be collected. Later a lawyer called me and told me that the accident was a hit and run, and that my car was responsible. Thats the only time since that anyone has contacted me about it. What do I do to eliminate or at least greatly reduce my risk of going to jail for this, since i had absolutely nothing to do with the accident. I didn't even know about it till later on anyway.
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Answers (3)
Jeena R. Belil
This attorney is licensed in New York.
Posted about 1 year ago.
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I am not sure of any criminal implications, however if you have not contacted your insurance company, do so immediately. Did you give the keys over to the prospective purchasor? Your policy may provide coverage for permissive users of your vehicle, even if that permission was implied.
J.D. Smith
This attorney is licensed in Washington.
Posted 9 months ago.
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I must be honest it appears you exercised extremely poor judgment by allowing someone to take possession of a vehicle without paying. Your question leaves out some critical information. You indicated "he never paid me for the car". How long had he had the car before the accident occurred? Did you provide permission before the payment issue arose? Was anything put in writing? The Department of Licensing has strict requirements for both sellers and buyers? If you did all the paperwork and he simply did not pay; then you have an argument that title passed when he took delivery and therefore you have no liability for what happened after he took possession of the vehicle. He waas required to provide insurance just as buyers are when they leave a car lot with a financed vehicle. I agree with other answers it does not appear there are criminal implications.
Evan Matthew Oshan
This attorney is licensed in Washington.
Posted 9 months ago.
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IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT YOU NEED NOW MORE THAN ANYTHING IS A GOOD PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR WHO MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME TYPE ASSISTANCE. AS YOU KNOW "HIT AND RUN" IS A VERY SERIOUS OFFENSE IN WASHINGTON. FEEL FREE TO GIVE ME A CALL MAYBE I COULD STEER YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. SINCE THE CAR WAS IN YOUR NAME AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT YOU MUST ESTABILSH YOUR STORY IS TRUE.
EVAN OSHAN ATTORNEY AT LAW P.O. BOX 861 MERCER ISLAND, WA 98040-0861 310 906 7137 OSHANLEGAL@GMAIL.COM DISCLAIMER: NOTE: SINCE I AM NOT YOUR ATTORNEY THE ABOVE SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AND THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVLEDGE DOES NOT YET EXIST. |
