is it illegal for a rent a car to harrass you?
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is it illegal for a rent a car to harrass you?
I drive a tractor trailer and a car was getting on ramp and hit me he was driving a rent a car. I gave all the information to my employer so now I keep getting letters from the rental car company harrassing me stating that I’m responsible and they want me to personally pay for over $3,000 in damages. This should be going through my works insurance why are they sending me things in the mail and it’s only the rent a car. This is getting me so mad 3 things were sent to me demanding me to pay.
Asked on July 11, 2016 under Accident Law, Massachusetts
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
It doesn't matter if they *should* be going through insurance: if they believe that you caused or were at fault in the accident, they have the right to seek the money from you--at-fault drivers can be held liable for the damage they cause, even when they are driving for work--and there is *no* legal restriction on how often someone (including a business) who believes that another owes they money can contact that person seeking payment.
You don't have to pay, unless and until they sue you, win in court by proving you were at fault, and also prove the amount of damage you supposedly did and which has not yet been paid by any insurance (they can't double collect; if insurance does pay it, they can't get it from you). So they might not be able to actually get money from you, but they legally can keep asking.
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