If we bought my daughter a car for graduation last year, are we financially liable if she causes a serious accident or commits a crime while driving the car?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If we bought my daughter a car for graduation last year, are we financially liable if she causes a serious accident or commits a crime while driving the car?
The car is registered in our name and we pay the insurance for the car. She had had 2 fender benders that we settled privately, both less than $1000 damage to the other vehicle.
Asked on April 27, 2015 under Accident Law, Oregon
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
Since you are the registered owner of your daughter's car, you are liable if she is at fault in an accident. Your liability would include property damage (cost of repairs) to the other vehicle that was not at fault in the accident and the personal injury claims of the occupants of that other vehicle that was not at fault in the accident.
The personal injury claims would include compensation for the medical bills, compensation for pain and suffering, and compensation for wage loss.
Compensation for the medical bills is straight reimbursement. Compensation for pain and suffering is an amount in addition to the medical bills based on the information in the medical reports. Compensation for wage loss is straight reimbursement.
If your daughter uses the car to commit a crime, you may be liable. For example, driving under the influence, hit and run, etc. Drug or alien smuggling, the car will be impounded and you will be liable for fees such as impoundment, towing, storage, etc.
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.