Although it is unusual, it’s possible for your car to be involved in an accident when you aren’t driving. In these circumstances, you might be wondering if you can be held at fault for any accidents involving your car. Unfortunately, even if you’re not driving, you may be responsible for any accidents that your vehicle is a part of, making it important that you examine your responsibilities as a car owner.
Learn about fault in car accidents where you’re the owner but not the driver and find out when you might need to hire a car wreck lawyer.
You Loan Your Car to an Incompetent Driver
One of the primary ways where you may be responsible for a wreck involving your car is if you loan your vehicle to an incompetent driver. There are many different ways that a driver can be ruled incompetent, all of which can result in you being held legally responsible for a wreck involving your vehicle.
First, inexperienced or unlicensed drivers are viewed as incompetent. Second, allowing an intoxicated driver to operate your vehicle can cause you to be at fault in the event of an accident. Finally, if you loan your car to an elderly driver with severely reduced capacity, you may responsible if they cause an accident with your car.
Your Car is an Employee Vehicle
Another common circumstance you might be legally responsible for an accident involving a vehicle you own is if the car is an employee vehicle. If you own a business and provide your employees with company cars, then you are legally responsible for those cars, even when you are not operating them.
If you typically provide your employees with company vehicles, it is imperative that you purchase enough insurance coverage to protect yourself in the event that one of these vehicles is involved in an accident.
Your Kids Were Driving
Finally, if you have a child that frequently operates your car, then you will be responsible for any accident that your child is involved in while using the vehicle. While this generally only extends to cars that are either owned by parents or purchased as family vehicles, parental responsible may extend, in certain circumstances to vehicles owned by their children.
Depending on the state that you live in, it’s possible that you had to sign a legal document to allow your child to receive their driver’s license. In these states, giving this consent can sometimes be used against you after your child has been involved in a car accident. To understand your potential liability in these circumstances, it’s important that you seek advice from a professional car wreck lawyer.
Talk to a Car Wreck Lawyer
As you can see, there are numerous circumstances where you can be assigned responsibility for car accidents where you were not the driver. If your car has been involved in an accident and you find yourself facing a legal suit, then you need to retain legal representation from a car wreck lawyer at Heuser & Heuser, LLP.
Partnering with one of our knowledgeable and passionate attorneys means getting the legal help you need to avoid paying serious damages resulting from your car accident case. Contact us today so that we can start working on your case.
