Dayton, OH asked in Car Accidents for Ohio

Q: I just received a letter stating that I owe an Insurance Company. 5000 for car accident That I had no part of.

At the beginning of the year, my daughter allowed me to park my unused car at her house.

Apparently, apparently 3 months ago, her boyfriend took my car without my permission and got into an accident. I was never informed of this and now I owe money. How can I fix it?

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2 Lawyer Answers
Randy Bryan Ligh
Randy Bryan Ligh
Answered
  • Personal Injury Lawyer
  • Baton Rouge, LA

A: Not sure if "unused" was meant to be 'uninsured." If yo had insurance at the time of the alleged incident, then turn it over to your insurance company. Anyway, based on your post, I do not know why you "owe money" as if you are not legally negligent or at fault then you do not owe the insurance company. The offending driver, which you suggest is the boyfriend may "owe money." You need to decide whether you are trying to make things right or if you are trying to make it difficult for the insurance company to recover from the at fault party, or something else---I suggest you contact a local litigation attorney in your area to discuss the specifics of your situation and to identify your options so you are better informed when you decide how to proceed from here. Good luck.

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
Answered
  • Personal Injury Lawyer
  • Little Neck, NY

A: I think I see how this materialized - either (1) you were dragged into the claim as the legal registrant of the vehicle (which would eventually occur in the formal litigation stage, where the owner is named on summons and complaint), or (2) the plaintiff could be pursuing a claim based on negligent entrustment. Either way, you should consider consulting with an Ohio attorney. If it's just a letter at this point, it could escalate into a lawsuit if it isn't tended to. If it's in connection with a lawsuit, it requires immediate attention in terms of a timely appearance/response. Don't ignore it. Good luck

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