I would like to know if I am responsible for paying damages to a vehicle owner who was double parked on a street?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
I would like to know if I am responsible for paying damages to a vehicle owner who was double parked on a street?
I was driving down the street and came to a car that was double parked on the street. I thought that there was enough space between us so I continued to drive pass the vehicle and accidentally my mirror located on the passenger side hit their mirror located on the driver’s side. As a result the back plate of their mirror was damaged and came off but the glass was not shattered or cracked. The owner did not call the police at the time of the incident but now is threatening to do so. Before I knew that double parking was illegal and a safety hazard, I agreed to pay for the damage. I need to know if I’m at fault or they are before paying for anything.
Asked on July 7, 2016 under Accident Law, New York
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
Although the car you hit was illegally parked, you are still liable for negligence for hitting a parked car.
You are liable for the property damage (cost of repairs) to the vehicle.
If your state has comparative negligence in which each party is assigned a percentage of fault in the accident, then you might not be 100% liable since the car was illegally parked. You would still be liable for a percentage of the property damage.
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.