What to do if I was borrowing someone’s car and while in a parking lot I accidentally bumped a parked car’s fender?
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What to do if I was borrowing someone’s car and while in a parking lot I accidentally bumped a parked car’s fender?
No major damages just a few scratches in the paint. I did not leave the scene before talking to the owner of the car who was very hostile and I gave them my name and phone number and offered to personally pay for the damage (if any) . My question is does there need to be any involvement with insurance or the law ? And how should I go about dealing with this ? I don’t know where I stand legally . The owner of the car that I was driving also does not wish to be involved as they were not there at the time of the incident .
Asked on March 18, 2015 under Accident Law, California
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
If you had permission to drive the vehicle then you should not have any issues to worry about. The accident needs to be reported to the police and the insurance company of the owner asap. California has what is known as a permissive use statute that makes the owner vicariously liable for the accident of the driver. It is also a law to report any accident that occurs while operating a motor vehicle. If his insurance company is contacted by the other guys insurance company they can disclaim coverage for lack of notice. Good luck.
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