QUESTION
What the best course of action if a neighbor is claiming damage to a very old car? Thank you very much Nasser Ossareh 303-312-8180
Asked on Jun 27th, 2012 on Automobile Accidents - Colorado
More details to this question:
Last month, my son (14 years old) offered to give a ride to the neighbor opposite to us in a golf cart.
The neighbor accepted the ride
He took the neighbor to her property safely. She left the cart and went inside.
My son attempted to turn the cart around in order to come back home
During the maneuver in the neighbor¿s driveway, he damaged the neighbor''s old track which was parked at side of the driveway.
No bodily injury occurred.
The damaged track is a ford 250 built in 1990. I can''t get a pricing on it. The oldest track in Kelley''s Blue Book is 1992 and that model is discontinued by then.
However the best price for the 1992 track is between $1900 and $2400.
A local garage has estimated the cost of repair to be $1200.
My auto insurance does not cover the golf cart.
My homeowners insurance does not response as the accident was not on my property.
I feel that the neighbor¿s wife is also at fault as she accepted a ride (a contract?) from a minor.
What''s the best course of action in this course?
1 ANSWER
Consumer Law Attorney serving Denver, CO
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Chalat Hatten & Banker PC
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Your best approach may be to do nothing. Your neighbor may bring a claim against you, but until a lawsuit is filed you are under no legal obligation to pay for the damages to the truck. If your son is served with a summons and complaint, then you may wish to negotiate with the neighbor to arrive at a reasonable amount of compensation - but I would not advise offering the amount of the bid from the local garage unless the damage is so great that the truck has in fact been totaled. You may wish to contact Metro Volunteer Lawyers, this is a service provided by the Denver Bar Association. MVL recruits and coordinates volunteer lawyers to perform free and low-cost legal services for poor and near-poor persons who live and work in Adams, Broomfield, Arapahoe, Denver, Elbert, Douglas, Jefferson, and Denver Counties. Call (303) 837-1313 or visit
http://www.metrovolunteerlawyers.org/
The information provided to you in this answer is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation if you have further questions.
Answered on Jul 09th, 2012 at 6:52 PM