If my parked car was hit by uninsured drunk driver, what are my options?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If my parked car was hit by uninsured drunk driver, what are my options?
My parked car was involved in a collision. A drunk driver hit a parked car and caused it to hit my car. He didn’t have insurance. I have insurance for the damages but no rental coverage. I had to pay around $700 for a rental while my car was in the shop. What are my legal options to get my money back, and how much am I entitled to?
Asked on June 22, 2012 under Accident Law, California
Answers:
Leigh Anne Timiney / Timiney Law Firm
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Generally you would be entitled to compensation for the damage to your vehicle and to be reimbursed for the amount you spent on a rental car. Unfortunately, if the person who caused the accident did not have insurance, it leaves you with little options. If you have uninsured motorist on your own insurance policy, you could attempt to have that cover your rental car expense. It depends upon your policy whether or not you could get coverage for a rental car using your uninsured coverage. Your other option is to sue the drunk driver directly for the costs of the rental. Just remember that when you sue someone there are costs involved and it can be time consuming. Also, a drunk driver who does not have insurance is not likely to have the money to pay you even if you were to prevail in a legal action, making it very hard to collect from him or her.
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.