If my husband is an alcoholic and goes out and is involved in an accident while drunk, am I liable for anything?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If my husband is an alcoholic and goes out and is involved in an accident while drunk, am I liable for anything?
I am trying to figure out the correct thing to do. My husband’s drinking is out of control. If he leaves our home drunk and has an accident or gets a DUI am I held responsible in any way? What will happen?
Asked on January 31, 2011 under Accident Law, Arizona
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
If you are the registered owner of the vehicle your husband is driving, you will be liable for an auto accident he causes. The police report will list you as the registered owner.
If the vehicle is insured, the policy would probably not cover DUI because that is a criminal offense.
If a lawsuit is filed against your husband and the opposing party prevails, the opposing party could satisfy the judgment by recovering assets from you and your husband.
You might also be liable for negligent entrustment for allowing your husband to drive when he is intoxicated.
You might want to contact AA, which may be able to intervene and prevent a tragedy.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.