CaliforniaLife
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA
I am currently a college student. The accident happened a year ago on the week of my birthday. I had the car for a month to drive to my off-campus class. My parents said the car was covered and I didn't need to worry about it. On the week of my birthday a guy was speeding down the street next to my school. There is a center divider with a uncut bush, at the time, that obscured my ability to see him. Long story short, I made a left hand yield turn, when I didn't see the car coming, and was hit. It totaled my car. His truck, according to the police officer, was barely damaged. He hit me in such a way where only the side of his big truck hit the passengers side door and threw my car. I could go into more detail if you guys want. Basically, I didn't have any time to fight it given that my only car was totaled and it was during final exams. Almost a year later my parents get a letter saying the insurance company is claiming over 13k in damages done to the truck! I don't believe it. Nevertheless, they are claiming it. During the week that I drove the car, apparently the insurance payment didn't go through and something wrong happened where the insurance lapsed. They handled the insurance. Not me. I wouldn't have let something like that happen. The car is in their name. The previous insurance is in their name. They are filing bankruptcy themselves (its a long story about my mom getting into a accident on the freeway and needing back surgery. The bills were crazy and she doesn't work.) Now the insurance's collections agency is coming after me. My mom and her fiancee both are filing paperwork for bankruptcy with this 13k accident damage on it.
Now the question: Am I liable for the damages on the car when the car doesn't belong to me, it is not in my name, the insurance (or the previous insurance) wasn't handled or in my name?
I really don't think this is fair. Before I was given the car I constantly persisted on whether I was covered driving it. I didn't want that liability for damages and not being insured. I'm a responsible person. The way I hope it works out is that since the car was in their name and the insurance that was suppose to be on the car was under her fiancee's name, the liability is on them.
If I need a lawyer to fight this, let me know what kind I would need and what I would need to do. Thanks!
I am currently a college student. The accident happened a year ago on the week of my birthday. I had the car for a month to drive to my off-campus class. My parents said the car was covered and I didn't need to worry about it. On the week of my birthday a guy was speeding down the street next to my school. There is a center divider with a uncut bush, at the time, that obscured my ability to see him. Long story short, I made a left hand yield turn, when I didn't see the car coming, and was hit. It totaled my car. His truck, according to the police officer, was barely damaged. He hit me in such a way where only the side of his big truck hit the passengers side door and threw my car. I could go into more detail if you guys want. Basically, I didn't have any time to fight it given that my only car was totaled and it was during final exams. Almost a year later my parents get a letter saying the insurance company is claiming over 13k in damages done to the truck! I don't believe it. Nevertheless, they are claiming it. During the week that I drove the car, apparently the insurance payment didn't go through and something wrong happened where the insurance lapsed. They handled the insurance. Not me. I wouldn't have let something like that happen. The car is in their name. The previous insurance is in their name. They are filing bankruptcy themselves (its a long story about my mom getting into a accident on the freeway and needing back surgery. The bills were crazy and she doesn't work.) Now the insurance's collections agency is coming after me. My mom and her fiancee both are filing paperwork for bankruptcy with this 13k accident damage on it.
Now the question: Am I liable for the damages on the car when the car doesn't belong to me, it is not in my name, the insurance (or the previous insurance) wasn't handled or in my name?
I really don't think this is fair. Before I was given the car I constantly persisted on whether I was covered driving it. I didn't want that liability for damages and not being insured. I'm a responsible person. The way I hope it works out is that since the car was in their name and the insurance that was suppose to be on the car was under her fiancee's name, the liability is on them.
If I need a lawyer to fight this, let me know what kind I would need and what I would need to do. Thanks!
