My son was driving a friends vehicle and he fell asleep at the wheel. The SUV went off the road and he got it back on and under control. He described that he went airborne. I don’t know how high but he did damage the grill and front bumber of the vehicle. He was able to continue driving and made it back home.

He told his friend and he replaced the grill and had some friends(not licensed mechanics)check it to see if it was ok to continue driving it. They said yes. He plans on paying to repair the bumper as well. The friend later (unknown when)heard a ticking after the accident and the check engine light came on. The friend continued to drive the vehicle for 2 months after the accident with the check engine light on and the ticking sound, then it broke down and had to be towed. The vehicle was towed to a licensed garage where after their inspection they found that the vehicle needed a new motor. The car manufacturer was contacted by the garage for possible warranty coverage on the engine and the claim was denied due to the engine being run when it was hot. In talking with the service manager at the garage and explaining all this to him; he could not say that the accident was the sole cause of the engine damage and since the vehicle was run for 2 months after he didn’t feel it was the likely cause.

The mechanic did see dirt under the under carriage of the vehicle but no visible damage was found.

My son feels some responsibility and I agree but I only feel he owes for the physical damage (grille and bumper) and (if his friend would have taken it in) a diagnostic check and possible repairs at that point.

Doesn’t his friend have a responsibility to respond to the check engine light on his own vehicle by taking it in for the diagnostic check? Also isn’t he responsible if he’s aware of a problem and he does nothing to prevent further damage?

I don’t want my son to be the scapegoat for the owner not being responsible. Also, if the warning from the check engine light would have be checked this incident (the complete engine failure) probably would not have happened or would have been covered under warranty. My son wants to be fair with his friend and I do too so what is he liable for?

Boyfriend want to have sidewalk sale in Jersey City & make it a party. He plans on having beer at this sale & potentially give out beer to customers of the sale. OMG, sounds like a lot of trouble. Can you explain the law & or liability if there is.

If a Laundromat turns off the cold water to let the hot water flow to sterilize the machines and never turns the cold water back on. Which causes total damage to several pieces of clothing who is held liable.

I sold a 92 mercury cougar to a certain Joe P. about 4 months ago. Yesterday I received a notice of lien from a Garage and Towing company claiming that I am responsible to pay for the impound and tow costs for this car, which was apparently abandoned in Edgewater City.(The car was sold in St. Augustine, where I live) I signed the Title over to Joe P., but apparently he never registered the car in his own name, so they say that technically I still own the car and that I am liable for it. The plates that were on the cougar when they found it were from a Deborah Walter? and presumably stolen.
It might be worth mentioning that the plate I used when I drove the cougar has been registered to my current car the since before I sold it, so It seems that the only proof they have is that the car USED to belong to me, but not that it currently does.
Any advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.