If I own a car with no insurance on it and my friend wrecks it, can the other person in the wreck sue me?
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If I own a car with no insurance on it and my friend wrecks it, can the other person in the wreck sue me?
I dumbly put a car in my name for a friend, and she were going to switch it back asap. She wrecked the car a few days later. I did not put the car on my insurance. The other guy’s lawyer told me if we don’t pay for the other vehicle, my friend and I would both get our license suspended. Can they do that to me just for owning the car?
Asked on February 14, 2012 under Accident Law, Texas
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
As the registered owner of the vehicle, you are liable for the accident caused by your friend who was driving your car. Your liability would include property damage to the other vehicle and personal injury claims of the occupants. The personal injury claims would include their medical bills, pain and suffering which is an amount in addition to the medical bills and wage loss.
Since you didn't have insurance, you will be sued by the other driver and/or occupants of that vehicle.
As for having your license suspended, the attorney is probably referring to the fact that you did not have auto insurance. The penalty for operating a vehicle without auto insurance varies from state to state. It is possible that having a driver's license suspended may be the penalty for driving without insurance or being the owner of a vehicle driven by another without insurance, but I am not certain of the exact penalty in your state since it varies from state to state.
If you are sued and a judgment is obtained against you which you can't afford to pay, you might want to consider filing bankruptcy. It would be premature to file bankruptcy until there is a court judgment against you.
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