an unlicensed minor stole and crashed my car. who do I sue?
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an unlicensed minor stole and crashed my car. who do I sue?
A minor stole my car, got into a car
accident, and caused damage to my car.
Who do I sue to get my money for the
repair of my car? They found my car
immediately. The minor was unlicensed
and took along a few friends in the
car. She also hit 2 other cars. The
police did take a report.
Asked on May 10, 2017 under Accident Law, Oregon
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
You can sue the minor's parents for negligence. Your damages (monetary compensation you are seeking in your lawsuit) would be the cost of repairs (property damage) to your car.
Depending on the amount of damage, you might be able to file the lawsuit in small claims court.
Upon prevailing in the case, you can enforce the court judgment with a wage garnishment. Another method of enforcing a judgment is to place a lien on the parents' home.
The criminal case against the minor for auto theft is separate from the civil case (lawsuit for negligence) discussed above).
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