What am I legally responsible to pay if I was driving a friend’s car and damages were occurred?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What am I legally responsible to pay if I was driving a friend’s car and damages were occurred?
I was driving a friends vehicle, after she asked to use mine for more space. While I was driving her vehicle a semi tire exploded and hit the front end of the car. She does not want to claim it on her insurance and my insurance has come back saying they will not cover it because she has auto coverage. What am I legally responsible for paying? Her deductible? The amount that her insurance will not cover?
Asked on August 15, 2012 under Accident Law, Missouri
Answers:
Leigh Anne Timiney / Timiney Law Firm
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
I don't fully understand how the damage to her vehicle occurred. Were you responsible for the tire exploding that caused the damage to her vehicle? If you were responsible for the tire explosion, then you are responsible for whatever amount she is out of pocket for the repair to her vehicle. It is best for her to make a claim with her own insurance company and have the damage repaired. If she has any portion of the repair left uncovered, such as a deductible, that is what you are responsible for. However, if you are not responsible for the tire exploding, none of the damage is your fault and you should not pay for any of it. In that case, your friend should go after the person responsible for the explosion of the tire and seek recovery from them.
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.