Responsibility for son's accident

[SusanJones]

I live in Ohio. Here's my question:

My son, age 15, was staying overnight at his friend's house. The friend's family owns a golf course and several golf carts. Without my knowledge or permission, my son and his friend decided to go out on the carts. When my son was pulling the golf cart from his friend's garage, he hit and damaged the bumper of another kid's car, a 2002 Chrysler, that was parked in the driveway.
My homeowner's insurance won't pay for it because it wasn't on my property. The car owner is hassling my son for the estimated $900 in damages. My insurance agent said the car's owner should seek compensation from the homeowner who owns the golf carts, because they gave my son permission to use the cart.
Should I go ahead and pay the damages and collect the money from my son (I'm a single mom, and this would cause me a great deal of financial hardship) or should I insist that the homeowner in question either pay part of this or put it on his own insurance?
Additionally, how many estimates should the car's owner get? He only got one, and it seems very high to me.
Thank you for your help.

[Neal1421]

Originally Posted by SusanJones

I live in Ohio. Here's my question:

My son, age 15, was staying overnight at his friend's house. The friend's family owns a golf course and several golf carts. Without my knowledge or permission, my son and his friend decided to go out on the carts. When my son was pulling the golf cart from his friend's garage, he hit and damaged the bumper of another kid's car, a 2002 Chrysler, that was parked in the driveway.
My homeowner's insurance won't pay for it because it wasn't on my property. The car owner is hassling my son for the estimated $900 in damages. My insurance agent said the car's owner should seek compensation from the homeowner who owns the golf carts, because they gave my son permission to use the cart.
Should I go ahead and pay the damages and collect the money from my son (I'm a single mom, and this would cause me a great deal of financial hardship) or should I insist that the homeowner in question either pay part of this or put it on his own insurance?
Additionally, how many estimates should the car's owner get? He only got one, and it seems very high to me.
Thank you for your help.

Your son is the one that caused the damages and he is a minor so you are responsible for the damages. What you could do is pay the amount and then make your son work to pay you back. He needs to learn to be responsible for his actions.

By the way, ask the car owners to get 3 estimates for the damage.

[MandyD]

Originally Posted by Neal1421

Your son is the one that caused the damages and he is a minor so you are responsible for the damages. What you could do is pay the amount and then make your son work to pay you back. He needs to learn to be responsible for his actions.

By the way, ask the car owners to get 3 estimates for the damage.

Are you sure about that Neal? That's not the case in every state. I don't know the parental liability laws in OH, but in my state I would not be liable just because he's a minor. It would also have to be shown that I was somehow negligent.

[lwpat]

It is quite likely the owner of the cart will be liable since his son was also involved and the accident happened on his property. I would tell the person to hassel him. You could offer to pay one-half of his deductible.