Can I be held responsible if a friend wrecked a borrowed car?

by Drew

Last summer a friend picked me up in his car, I am 18 he is also. Friend wanted to go to movie with a girl so he had me drop him off at the movies and had me take his car.

I told him I was going to our mutual friends house, he was going to call me to pick him up when the movie was over.

I went to mutual friends house. Mutual friend wanted to use the car. Mutual friend (also over 18) drove a very short distance and totaled the car.

Insurance paid the totaled amount to my friends parents but the amount did not cover the entire amount of loan on car.

I just received a summons for a law suit in which my friends parents (car owners) are suing me and mutual friend for the extra cost of the totaled car which are around $4000.

I was not in the car at time of accident. Mutual friend that was driving was ticketed and charged with the accident. Can I be held responsible for this?


Answer to Can I be held responsible if a friend wrecked a borrowed car?


Hello Drew,

Wow. We are as puzzled as you are. You said that they are looking to recover the amount of the loan? That the insurance carrier paid already, but that they are seeking compensation for the remainder on the loan (apparently the car was upside down).

If this is outside what they can recover. Even if you were responsible for the accident (a big IF, based on what you outlined above), it is very unlikely that they can recover damages on that theory. They should be compensated for the actual damage, not the economic loss.

In addition, I don't follow why is this your responsibility? The other friend took the car and crashed it. You were not even in the car!

Talk to a lawyer. This is defensible.


Good Luck,
Auto Accident Claims