Legal Question in Personal Injury in California

My son and his friends decided why I was out of town to take a car that I was watching for a joy ride. None of the boys had permission to drive the car None of the boys had permission to be inside that car. During their little joy ride they crashed the car. I want to know is are all of the boys who where inside that car who took that car with out permission responsiable for fixing the car? Or is the driver the only one who is responsiable. Two of the boys drove the car the other two were passangers in the car.

Please help me with this! I feel that all of the boys are responsiable since they all decided to take the car with out permission, They all new that they were not allowed to drive the car since they all asked me several time if they could drive it and I told them NO, it was not my car I did not have the right to let someone else drive the car. The owner only gave me permission to drive the car as he was away in Japan for the US Navy.

All of the boys are under 18 and only one has a driver license

Thank You,

Mindy


Asked on 9/07/11, 8:47 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys
Michael Stone-Molloy The Lion's Law Office

The only one who is civilly liable is the one who actually crashed the car. Criminally, they could all be on the hook as accomplices. As part of a restitution order for their juvenile probation, they could all be forced to contribute, but first they have to be arrested, charged and convicted.

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Answered on 9/07/11, 8:51 pm
George Shers Law Offices of Georges H. Shers

It is possible to argue that all four are liable. The one driving when the accident occurred is clearly liable, but the other three, who were aware that there was no permission to drive the vehicle and that none of them was old enough to drive with all non-adult passengers in the car are also negligent and could reasonably anticipate that some one taking a car for a joy ride is not going to drive safely but they encouraged that to occur. All four should be held responsible, each one for the full amount of the damages, and let them fight among themselves [actually among the parents because all probably have no assets] as to who will pay what amount now. The parents should also agree that none of them be allowed to drive a car for a certain amount of time

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Answered on 9/07/11, 11:23 pm


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