Accident while driving someone elses car...who is responsible?

rick3993

New member
Sep 5, 2006
50
0
0
Hi! I recently bought a car from a car agency here in Sosua and the next day there were problems with the motor so the car dealer agency took the car back to repair it and loaned me one of their rental cars to drive meanwhile they were fixing mine.(They gave me no contracct to sign and there was no talk of insurance)

It took 10 days to fix my new car and meanwhile while parked on the street someone backed into the front of the car they loaned me and took off while I wasn't there to see who did it.

When I went to the car dealer to pick up my car I showed him the damages to the front of the rental car that someone else had done and he told me it was my responsibility to pay for it.

The bill came to about $350USD and he wont give me the title on my new car till I pay it.

Who is supposed to pay for the damages? He says he only has minimal car insurance de Ley and I have to pay. I also have minimal car insurance de Ley. Thank you ahead of time for any of your expertise!!!
 

DR Solar

Bronze
Nov 21, 2016
1,626
365
83
No one really knows who is covered as a new gringo and it certainly is not you. Welcome to the DR.

So many ways that this can go that my best advise? Get another repair estimate that will cost you more they the repair.

Pay it. Get it signed off. Move along.

You DO have a good atty. to advise you don't you? Costs just went up but you might be saving your Butt.
 

ctrob

Silver
Nov 9, 2006
5,591
781
113
You are responsible, it was in your care and the car has lost value. Having said that tho, you can get an awful lot of body work done for 350. That is probably an inflated number.

Go back, ask to see car or walk up to it, and take a bunch of pictures
when he asks, tell him your attorney wants the pics
Then offer him 175 or 200 to settle it. Have the cash in your pocket.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
Cash the deal fast and/or get get quotes to fix it yourself....

The longer it sits the more difficult it will be ==if you ask me.

Fast fix - get your new car and don't look back

It was a free rental, no?
 

Derfish

Gold
Jan 7, 2016
4,441
2
0
Hi! I recently bought a car from a car agency here in Sosua and the next day there were problems with the motor so the car dealer agency took the car back to repair it and loaned me one of their rental cars to drive meanwhile they were fixing mine.(They gave me no contracct to sign and there was no talk of insurance)

It took 10 days to fix my new car and meanwhile while parked on the street someone backed into the front of the car they loaned me and took off while I wasn't there to see who did it.

When I went to the car dealer to pick up my car I showed him the damages to the front of the rental car that someone else had done and he told me it was my responsibility to pay for it.

The bill came to about $350USD and he wont give me the title on my new car till I pay it.

Who is supposed to pay for the damages? He says he only has minimal car insurance de Ley and I have to pay. I also have minimal car insurance de Ley. Thank you ahead of time for any of your expertise!!!

45 to 48 years ago I worked as an insurance adjuster in Minnesota. Long time ago and long distance from the DR, but if we had a person insured we covered any car they drove. But i don't know a thing about laws of such in the DR in the 21st century.
Maybe nobody does.
Der Fish
 

TropicalPaul

Bronze
Sep 3, 2013
1,366
614
113
I can't imagine why you think anyone else is responsible apart from you. They lent you a car, for free. You brought it back damaged, of course you have to pay for it. And to me, US$ 350 is cheap for a repair - I had a new vehicle which I put a dent in and the repair bill came to well over RD$ 50,000. You also need to know that as a gringo, we are always expected to pay here whenever anything happens. Best just to accept that's how things roll and not get upset about it, you'll get used to it or you'll move to another country.
 

irishpaddy

Bronze
Sep 3, 2013
1,166
460
83
isn't it lucky you didn't have an accident and hurt someone...........always make sure you have insurance
 

VJS

Bronze
Sep 19, 2010
846
0
36
Should have fixed it yourself for under half the quoted price. Now all you can do is gripe about the bill and maybe knock some of the amount off in the best case.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
You are responsible, it was in your care and the car has lost value. Having said that tho, you can get an awful lot of body work done for 350. That is probably an inflated number.

Go back, ask to see car or walk up to it, and take a bunch of pictures
when he asks, tell him your attorney wants the pics
Then offer him 175 or 200 to settle it. Have the cash in your pocket.

how do you know the amount is inflated?

did you see the damage?

do you know how much the replacement parts cost, if needed?

do you know what the labor content is, or how to calculate it?
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
11,697
8,127
113
The OP has the right to take it to the repair shop of his choice as long as the owner is good with the repair. He can either do that or pay the $350.

Personally, I'd take it to a shop myself and fix it before the owner even knew about it.
 

melphis

Living my Dream
Apr 18, 2013
3,489
1,676
113
It was in your care and control so that makes you responsible. It seems to me they did you a solid by lending you the car. You should do the same by returning it in as good condition as you got it.
 

ROLLOUT

Silver
Jan 30, 2012
2,198
35
48
The OP has the right to take it to the repair shop of his choice as long as the owner is good with the repair. He can either do that or pay the $350.

Personally, I'd take it to a shop myself and fix it before the owner even knew about it.

I've done that before when I rented vehicles in the islands, and no one is the wiser.
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
11,715
7,976
113
You should consider yourself lucky the "estimate" wasn't much higher
only to be negotiated down to a "fair" price with the help of (southy's buddies)
the local P.N. Next time use a publico. A little uncomfortable at times
but well worth the inconvenience.
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
12,570
6,325
113
45 to 48 years ago I worked as an insurance adjuster in Minnesota. Long time ago and long distance from the DR, but if we had a person insured we covered any car they drove. But i don't know a thing about laws of such in the DR in the 21st century.
Maybe nobody does.
Der Fish

And I was a sexual advisor in a former life, people kept telling me. "If I want your f*cking advice I'll ask for it"
Come to think of it I'm still a sexual advisor.........
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
9,527
4,045
113
Cabarete
Take your own body shop guy to see the car and get an estimate. If it's significantly less, try to get the owner to agree to let you fix it or negotiage a lower repair price. If that fails, just pay it and consider it a lesson learned. You're not in a good negotiating position. Not worth the hassle of getting an attorney involved IMO.
 

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
9,512
2,781
113
YOU are responsible , Ethically , Morally, and hopefully Legally..
They LENT you a Car .. period.. the car is worth less now ..
IF you had your own insurance then maybe they would pay, minus the deductible...
The guy who took off, dont even waste your time .. but yes THEY would be responsible, if you knew who they were .

As someone already posted , try to negotiate it down a little, but just pay it.
$350 anywhere else would not even cover a Scratch and a dent .. In the DR, they can replace a whole bumper with that money.. so i would consider myself Lucky.