bicycle and auto

[storefrontbill]

What is the name of your state? Washington

This is kind of a two part question. In July of 1997 I was driving down a residentual street. Two kids were racing on their bicycles in the parking lot of an apartment complex. There is a hedge that covers the viewing of the parking lot. From the hedge there is about 5 feet to the street. The boys came out of the parking lot and into the street. I saw them at the last minute and swerved to the opposite lane and braked. One of the kids stopped the other ran into the back of my jeep. He was knocked unconsious. I picked him up and tried to find his parents. Nobody spoke english in the complex except for the boy he was racing. I went to a door and had a hard time getting someone to answer. They called 911. The police, firemen and ambulance came. They took the boy away. The police took measurements and talked to me. I was never given a ticket or contacted about anything. I did call the officer to find out how the boy was but he never returned my call. Now 6 and a half years later an attorney want me to have my attorney contact him or my insurance company. What is the statue of limitation on something like this? This seem like an attempt by the lawyer to just solicit new business.
Part 2: The car I was driving at the time I had purchased for my son when he would be come 16. It was wrecked and I needed to get it fixed. I had just recently picked it up from the repair shop but I had not yet put it on my insurance. I carried insurance on my other cars but not that one. Will my insurance company come to my defense?

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

What is the name of your state? Washington

This is kind of a two part question. In July of 1997 I was driving down a residentual street. Two kids were racing on their bicycles in the parking lot of an apartment complex. There is a hedge that covers the viewing of the parking lot. From the hedge there is about 5 feet to the street. The boys came out of the parking lot and into the street. I saw them at the last minute and swerved to the opposite lane and braked. One of the kids stopped the other ran into the back of my jeep. He was knocked unconsious. I picked him up and tried to find his parents. Nobody spoke english in the complex except for the boy he was racing. I went to a door and had a hard time getting someone to answer. They called 911. The police, firemen and ambulance came. They took the boy away. The police took measurements and talked to me. I was never given a ticket or contacted about anything. I did call the officer to find out how the boy was but he never returned my call. Now 6 and a half years later an attorney want me to have my attorney contact him or my insurance company. What is the statue of limitation on something like this? This seem like an attempt by the lawyer to just solicit new business.
Part 2: The car I was driving at the time I had purchased for my son when he would be come 16. It was wrecked and I needed to get it fixed. I had just recently picked it up from the repair shop but I had not yet put it on my insurance. I carried insurance on my other cars but not that one. Will my insurance company come to my defense?

My response:

Bad news all the way around. Suffice it to say, you're screwed.

When it comes to a minor, the Statute of Limitations to file a negligence lawsuit is virtually nonexistent. You see, a minor can file a lawsuit up to one year AFTER his 18th birth date, and it will still be a viable lawsuit.

Insofar as your insurance is concerned, your insurance company will only defend you IF your car was insured. You could have had 100 cars insured by your company at the time; but, if the one you were driving was not insured, you're out of luck.

It would do you well to pay an attorney to at least talk to you about your potential defenses, if not completely represent you. Yes, I know attorney's fees are high - - but look at the alternative if you lose.

IAAL