Borrowed Vehicle Accidents

People loan their vehicles out to others all the time. Most of the time, this happens without incident. What happens though, when the person who borrowed the vehicle is in an accident? Is that person liable for the crash, or is the person who owns the car liable? These are the questions that many San Francisco residents have after someone borrows their car and causes a crash due to their own negligence. A San Francisco borrowed vehicle accident lawyer can help you get to the answers quickly.

These accident claims can quickly become complicated, as there are both rules and several exceptions to those rules. The basics of these claims are found below.

Many people think that auto insurance covers them personally, but it does not. It covers the vehicle. This means if your vehicle was in an accident, no matter who was driving, you are liable for paying damages through your insurance company. You are also liable to pay any deductibles and any increase of rates you suffer as a result of the crash.

However, most drivers only purchase the minimum amount of auto insurance required by state law. As such, if the damages exceed these limits, the driver’s insurance coverage would cover other damages under secondary coverage. If you have questions about these complicated insurance rules, reach out to a San Francisco borrowed vehicle accident lawyer for help.

Although the rules on borrowed car accidents in San Francisco do state that the vehicle owner is liable in the event of a crash, there are some exceptions to those rules.

One is if you have excluded a driver from your auto policy. Sometimes people do this because they live with a family member whom they do not want driving their car. When you include this exclusion, your auto insurance will not provide coverage for any accident they cause. However, if they wreck your car, your insurance company will also likely deny your property damage claim.

The second exception to the rules is similar to the first. If you did not give a person permission to drive your car, it may shield you from liability. This exception does not require a stipulation in your auto insurance policy and so, it can be difficult to prove. When motorists find themselves in this situation, they must speak to a borrowed vehicle accident attorney in San Francisco who can help them prove they did not give permission to another person to drive their vehicle.

Personal injury cases involving borrowed vehicle accidents quickly become complicated. If you are in a dispute with the insurance company or the person who borrowed the vehicle, you need the help of a borrowed vehicle accident attorney in San Francisco. At the Brod Law Firm, we know what the law says on borrowed vehicle accidents, and we will apply it to your case to protect you from as much liability as possible. If someone else got into an accident while driving your vehicle, call us today at (800) 427-7020 to schedule your free consultation so we can begin discussing your case.