How can I resolve being sued for a drunk driving case? 17 Answers as of December 06, 2011

Generally, you are responsible for letting people drive your vehicle. However, if this person stole your keys, you should, at a minimum, file a police report and inform your insurance company.

Let your insurance handle this.

Under the owners liability statute, your are liable for accidents caused by your vehicle if it is driven with your express or implied consent. The fact that you told the driver to return the car to you establishes that the driver was driving with your express consent. Turn over claim to your auto carrier.

You should retain an attorney to defend you from the lawsuit. It is important that you present your defense, which is that the driver took your car without your permission. If you have not been served as a defendant, that you have not yet been sued.

This sounds like a very serious situation and one I wouldn't approach alone. Find an insurance defense attorney in your area today and let him or her get started defending you. Don't trust what the insurance company is telling you, let someone who knows the game play it for you.

If he had your permission you are liable. If the car was stolen no. Since you did not report it stolen and there may be an issue about permission you may be stuck. Normally the owner of a car is liable for its use.

Your insurance (if you have any) should pay for any damages, unless your company determines that the individual was driving without your permission (which you say is the case). If your insurance denied the claim, then the other parties' (the one who was hit) uninsured coverage would pay the damage. However, that company might suspect that you did give permission, and for that reason may try to bring you into the suit to get to your insurance. If this is the case, your insurance company would hire an attorney to defend the case. You should let your attorney handle it. If he can settle the claim, it will get resolved that way, otherwise it will get resolved in a trial. There may be other reasons you were brought into the suit. Regardless of why you were sued, it will be resolved by either settling the case or in a trial. Hopefully, you have an attorney. One easy way to settle a case is just to give the other side what they are asking for in the suit. However, this is not always the best way.

Let the court dismiss it and hope nobody appeals.

Your own insurance company should be defending you, but the bottom line in Florida is that you are only liable for damage done by your car when you have given permission to someone to drive it. If you have given him your permission in the past, and left the keys out where he could avail himself of them, then your insurance company still should defend you.

If you are being sued, you have to defend yourself. If you had automobile insurance, it seems that your insurance company should provide you an attorney, at no charge. Did you contact your insurance company and tell them about this? If not, do so immediately. if you did not have insurance, I would recommend hiring an attorney. On the facts you have provided, it does not appear to me that you will be responsible.