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Coping With Legal Issues

When I started getting into trouble I became pretty acclimated to legal procedures. Calling my attorney and working out bail was just another way to spend a Saturday night. Unfortunately, the stiffer the charges, the more difficult it was to talk my way out of a bad situation. After so many charges, I found myself slapped with a long jail sentence, and I realized that I wanted to turn things around. Fortunately, my lawyer was able to walk me through yet another process, so that I could make the right changes. My blog discusses how to emotionally cope with legal issues so that you can start living a good life.

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Coping With Legal Issues

How Permission Affects Accidents: What To Know

by Lillian Wheeler

You may drive your car most of the time. However, it's always possible for someone else to get into an accident while driving your car. The responsibility for an accident depends on several factors.

Fault Should Be Determined

Fault plays a major role in how an accident case is processed. If the other driver was at fault, the person driving your vehicle is considered the victim. That means they are owed monetary damages from the driver of the other vehicle. Common forms of monetary damage include medical bills, lost wages, personal property, and more. However, if the driver of your vehicle is found to have caused the accident, things can get a bit more complex.

Permission Not Granted

In some cases, vehicle owners don't have full control over the use of their vehicles. For instance, if your vehicle was stolen and then involved in an accident, you are likely not responsible for it because the driver did not have permission to use your vehicle.

Also, you might have a case in which someone had access to the vehicle but drove it without express permission. In most cases, you would not be held liable if an accident occurred when it was used without permission even if it wasn't stolen.

Permission Is Granted

Many teenagers drive their parent's vehicles once they earn their license. They usually do so, however, with the permission of the car's owner. While the law varies from state to state, parents are usually responsible for any accidents that occurred when the child was driving it. Once your child is 18, they are often expected to take responsibility for the accident. 

Older people may also ask to borrow your car. Unfortunately, many older people are no longer safe drivers. Vehicle owners are expected to only provide permission to drive their vehicles if they have no reason to doubt the driver is competent.

Also, you could be held responsible if you allowed someone who was intoxicated or that you knew did not have a driver's license to drive your vehicle and they caused an accident.

When you were not the driver, but the law holds you responsible anyway, you could end up paying for the damages of both drivers. You could also be sued and see your insurance rates rise as a result. Speak to a personal injury lawyer and work with them to lessen the impact on your financial situation when that happens. 

For more information, contact a local personal injury lawyer

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