If I was driving a friend’s car with permission and got into an accident, should their insurance support me during a lawsuit?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If I was driving a friend’s car with permission and got into an accident, should their insurance support me during a lawsuit?
I am uninsured but the car is covered. I was served lawsuit paperwork by one of the parties in the accident suing for damages.
Asked on September 18, 2011 under Accident Law, Washington
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Okay so here is what you need to do. You were driving the vehicle with "permissive use" so you need to send a copy of the pleadings - the summons and complaint that you were served with - to your friend's insurance company as soon as possible - like yesterday. What needs to be determined is the type of coverage that your friend had on the car. Generally if you had permission and the car was covered then you are covered. You are also owed a defense in the lawsuit. Please call your friend and get the information (which will also be a code on the police report which I hope that you have a copy of) you need to send the pleadings. I hope that he or she also reported the loss. Good luck.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.