Can I be sued if there were no reports filed and no harm done? 17 Answers as of February 17, 2012
My girlfriend's parents want to sue me for endangerment of a minor (my girlfriend's brother). He said I was drunk and crashed on the highway, made him get behind the wheel and talk to the police, then attacked him with a car wash. I had two drinks, drove over a curb on a city street because of a crazy rainstorm, did have him get behind the wheel while we were stopped but I got out of the car and talked to campus police who just asked if we were ok (no names or mention of alcohol) and then left. We washed off our legs and shoes at a handheld car wash. Can they sue me?Free Case Evaluation by a Local Lawyer!
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R. D. Kelly Law Firm, P.L.L.C. | Robert Kelly
Your statement indicates that anybody suing you in those circumstances might have difficulty proving the extent of the damages.
Answer Applies to: Washington
Replied: 1/9/2012
Law Office of Jared Altman | Jared Altman
No. I don't see anything to sue over.
Answer Applies to: New York
Replied: 1/9/2012
The Law Office of Harry E. Hudson, Jr. | Harry E. Hudson, Jr.
Sure. Can they collect is another question.
Answer Applies to: California
Replied: 1/9/2012
The Margolis Firm | Charles J. Candiano
Anyone can sue you. There is no recovery without harm. In your scenario, there was no harm.
Answer Applies to: Illinois
Replied: 1/9/2012
Law Offices of Minh C. Wai, P.C. | Minh C. Wai
They can sue you, but the real question is would they win if they did sue you. Generally, a person who is negligent is responsible for any harm done to others. If you did not cause any harm, then there is nothing to be responsible for. However, there may be other kinds of harm that you have not considered such as emotional distress. Bottom line, however, don't worry about it until you actually get sued. If you do get sued, then consult with a lawyer. Although they may threaten to sue you, many people do not follow through with it.
Answer Applies to: Indiana
Replied: 1/9/2012
Ford, Howard & Cornett, P.C. | Bradley Cornett
People have sued for less. So, "yes" you could get sued. That does not mean they will win or obtain a significant judgment. If you are served with a lawsuit, you should immediately advise your insurance carrier. You should consider putting your insurance carrier on notice of this potential claim. Read your insurance policy regarding the duty to report accidents and claims.
Answer Applies to: Alabama
Replied: 1/9/2012
Bulman Law Associates PLLC Injury Law Firm | Thomas Bulman
You should consider that her parents might still convince a prosecutor to file criminal charges against you. I advise you to not say another word to anyone about the incident , especially your girlfriend, and hope it somehow goes away and the statute of limitation, at least one year, maybe five because a minor was involved, bars a prosecution. The parents' threat to file civil charges is a bluff, but don't help them by confessing your stupidity any further. Don't talk to the police. If it goes that far, they will be able to arrest you if you confess again. What kind of weasel has a minor get behind the wheel after a careless crash, unless he/you were drunk? A jury would convict you of something just because you tried to pull a sneaky. Keep your fingers crossed, your mouth shut, a get a new GF. F
Answer Applies to: Montana
Replied: 1/9/2012
Counard & Heilmann Law Office | Michael Heilmann
Anyone with $285 can sue. Your insurance company would have to get it dismissed.
Answer Applies to: Michigan
Replied: 1/9/2012
Shaw Law Firm | Steven L. Shaw
Suit for damages requires 1) fault and 2) damages. Endangering a minor may be a criminal offence, but I don't see any civil tort unless he was somehow damaged. Was he hurt either physically or emotionally? Then maybe. If not, then they would be hard pressed to find an attorney willing to move forward with that. And even if they did, what would the boy's damages be worth? Probably not much.
Answer Applies to: Washington
Replied: 1/8/2012
Andrew T. Velonis, P.C. | Andrew Velonis
The key part is: no harm done. Since there was no injury, there is nothing to sue you for.
Answer Applies to: New York
Replied: 1/8/2012
Paul Whitfield and Associates P.A. | Paul L. Whitfield
Anybody can sue you at any time on any account. But you have to prove your case and prove damages. Doesn't sound like much of a lawsuit to me.
Answer Applies to: North Carolina
Replied: 1/8/2012
Ewusiak & Roberts, P.A. | Christopher J. Roberts
The answer is probably technically "yes, they can sue you," but as a practical matter it wouldn't make a lot of sense. Even assuming everything your girlfriend's brother said about you is true, I don't see that he has any damages to recover (I assume he was not injured). What the parents may be talking about is that they want to press criminal charges against you based upon their son's version of events, but I can't imagine a lot of prosecutors wanting to go forward with the case. You may want to talk to a lawyer and get specific advice about what you should do if you are contacted by police. If you remember the Martha Stewart story, she was convicted not of insider trading but of lying to federal agents. If you are worried that the parents may try to get you in trouble with the police, it would be worth your trouble to talk to a lawyer sooner rather than later.
Answer Applies to: Florida
Replied: 2/17/2012
David F. Stoddard | David F. Stoddard
They can (you can always sue, even if you have no case), but won't get much if anything. They probably will not find an attorney to take the case.
Answer Applies to: South Carolina
Replied: 1/8/2012
Kelaher Law Offices, P.A. | James P Kelaher
I would have no idea what their cause of action would be; however, as you may know, they can always sue you but that does not mean that the lawsuit would go anywhere. If they sue you and any part of it sounds as though they are alleging some type of negligence, then turn it over to your insurance company.
Answer Applies to: Florida
Replied: 1/8/2012
Law Office of Russell D. Gray, PC | Russell D. Gray
If you're living your life like this, you probably have a lot more to worry about than whether your girlfriend's parents can sue you. But to answer your question, unless there was actual damage or injury to someone they probably can't sue you.
Answer Applies to: Utah
Replied: 1/8/2012
Adler Law Group, LLC | Lawrence Adler
They can sue without a police report. Outcome is based on testimony of the parties. There is likely no suit if they cant show the minor was injured or had damages.
Answer Applies to: Connecticut
Replied: 1/8/2012
Klisz Law Office, PLLC | Timothy J. Klisz
No. The facts describe a crime, not a lawsuit. You can get charged with a crime and if the police come to investigate, get an attorney before saying one word to them.
Answer Applies to: Michigan
Replied: 1/8/2012
