If a teenager rammed into the back of my car while it was parked in my driveway and totaled it, what items can I be reimbursed for?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If a teenager rammed into the back of my car while it was parked in my driveway and totaled it, what items can I be reimbursed for?
The teen’s parents insurance has accepted full liability for the car. But I also had a backpack in the trunk, which is where my car was hit, that had my cell phone and laptop in it. They were both crushed and no longer work. Is that something that the insurance company had to pay for as well or does that go under my homeowners insurance? It seems like it would be for their insurance to handle since the damage was done by the teen and the property was in my car at the time. I know homeowners usually covers theft and the like, I’m just not sure who covers this in a situation like this.
Asked on June 29, 2015 under Accident Law, Tennessee
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
Since your cell phone and laptop were in the car when the accident occurred, you should seek compensation for those items from the at-fault party's auto insurance company.
If you dispute the amount of the property damage settlement from the at-fault party's insurance carrier regarding your car being totaled and the loss of the cell phone and laptop, you can reject the settlement offer and file a lawsuit for negligence against the teen and his/her parents for negligence.
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.