What can I do if a child collided with my car and broke my side view mirror?
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What can I do if a child collided with my car and broke my side view mirror?
I was driving down a narrow street with cars parked on both sides so the view was obstructed. There were 2 kids were riding their bikes and 1 came out of nowhere and sideswiped my car, breaking my side mirror. His parents were not home at the time; I took photos and exchanged phone numbers. The mother finally called me back denying her son had been at fault and saying it was 50/50 and that she has friends in the police department. What can I do?
Asked on July 21, 2017 under Accident Law, California
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
If you believe the child was at fault, you have the right to sue his parents for the cost of the mirror: if you can convince a court that he was at fault, you can get a judgment for the cost to repair or replace. It is unclear, however, if the time lost from work (assume you will give up at least one day), plus the inconvenience, plus the cost of filing the suit (around $50-$60) is worth what you hope to get back.
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