Las Vegas Office: (725) 900-9000 Washington Office: (360) 200-0000
Van Law Firm
  • About Us
    • Attorneys
    • Sandy Van
    • Angela J. Campos
    • Burke Huber
    • Annual Scholarship
  • Practice Areas
    • Motor Vehicle Accident
    • Wrongful Death
    • Workers’ Compensation
    • Uninsured And Underinsured Accidents
    • Personal Injury
    • Product Liability
    • Bad Faith Insurance Claims
    • Camp Lejeune Lawsuit
    • Nursing Home Abuse
    • Las Vegas Defective Drugs and Medical Devices
    • Sexual Abuse
    • Mass Torts
    • Zantac
    • Truck Accident
    • Swimming Pool Injury
  • Testimonials
  • Blogs
    • FAQs
    • Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Locations
    • Las Vegas Office
    • Washington Office
    • View All Locatoins
Get My Free Consultation
(725) 900-9000

Home » Blogs » Auto Accidents » Understanding Washington’s Family Car Doctrine

Understanding Washington’s Family Car Doctrine

We’re all familiar with the archetypal scenes of the father giving his young son a hard time before reluctantly tossing over the keys to the family car. These scenes draw on the concept of earned trust, and are usually jovial and lighthearted in nature. However, relinquishing the family keys could have real consequences, for all involved. 

For a free legal consultation, call (725) 900-9000

Under Washington law, whenever there is a serious car accident case in which the at-fault party was driving a vehicle that belonged to a parent or other family member, that vehicle owner may be subsequently held liable for the damages caused by the accident. This is known generally as the family car doctrine. 

Determining Whether or Not Family Car Doctrine Applies 

Whenever a judge, jury, or arbitrator is debating whether or not the family car doctrine applies to a given accident, there are multiple components that must be weighed. Courts will consider: who is named on the title of the vehicle; who bought or currently makes payments for the vehicle; who pays for the car’s gas and maintenance; even the general purpose or intent the owner had for that vehicle. 

Click to contact our personal injury lawyers today

There is no set formula or standard criteria for determining whether or not the provision should be applied. These cases are very subjective, and are often passionately debated. The parameters of car ownership and liability can get very muddy; let’s use a hypothetical example to highlight these complexities. 

Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now

Say that you are involved in an accident that is caused by John. The car John was driving was bought and owned by his parents for many years but John recently took over ownership and his name is listed on the title. However, John lives at home and his parents still occasionally give him money for gas and repairs. Should the parents still be considered the true owners and therefore be held responsible? Should John be considered the owner because of the title or does he need more proof of ownership? 

These are the questions that courts will debate– for the best chance of success, accident victims should always seek the help of an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney in order to maximize the chances of recovering full compensation. 

Why Family Car Doctrine is Important

The reasoning behind the state’s family car doctrine is to add another layer of protection for accident victims who are injured by those who have limited coverage or none at all. Due to the fact that a majority of drivers who are driving a family-owned car are between the ages of 16 and 21, chances are they will not personally have enough coverage to compensate you for significant injuries and damages. 

Thus, the family car provision allows for victims to sue the vehicle’s owners, who will generally have a higher level of coverage or the ability to obtain better coverage. Essentially, it is another version of underinsured or uninsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. 

If successfully applied, accident victims may be able to recover additional compensation from the owner of the vehicle, such as medical reimbursement, vehicle repairs, and even significant personal assets, if they exist and the case permits. However, as mentioned above, these are complicated cases and just because the family purpose provision exists does not guarantee that it will be applied. 

Nevertheless, parents and vehicle owners in Washington should always take caution in relinquishing their keys, as family car doctrine makes it so that potential accident liability is always a possibility. 

Contact Motor Vehicle Accident Attorneys

If you were injured in an accident that you believe should qualify under a family car claim, consider contacting the Washington motor vehicle accident attorneys from Van Law Firm right away. As subject matter experts, we can help you navigate through the process of any claim throughout the state. 

Call (360) 200-0000 now for a free consultation. We’re standing by to help around the clock, and with over 500 5-star reviews so far, it’s easy to see that helping people is what we’re good at– when can we help you?

No obligation consultations are always free.

Let Us Help You! Call Now: (725) 900-9000
We are available 24/7

Recent Posts

  • Rampant Water Contamination at Military Bases
  • 23-Year-Old Killed by Cop Car in South Lake Union
  • Is Your Baby Safe in a Shopping Cart?
  • Catching AI-Generated Content
  • Studies Link Hair Relaxers to Cancer

Categories

  • Accidents & Lawsuits
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Auto Accidents
  • Baby Formula Lawsuits
  • Bankruptcy
  • Burn Injuries
  • Bus Acciidents
  • Camp Lejeune
  • Defective Medical Devices
  • Drowning Accidents
  • Drunk Driving Accidents
  • Elmiron
  • Heating Pad Injuries
  • Insurance
  • Legal Alerts
  • Mass Torts
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Motorcycle Accidents
  • News and Updates
  • Nursing Home Abuse
  • Paraquat Lawsuits
  • Park Accidents
  • Pedestrian Accidents
  • Personal Injury
  • Premises Liability
  • Product Liability
  • Sexual Abuse
  • Sexual Assault
  • Slip and Fall Accidents
  • Swimming Pool Accidents
  • Swimming Pool Injuries
  • Traumatic Brain Injuries
  • Truck Accidents
  • Truvada
  • Whiplash Injury
  • Workers Compensation
  • Wrongful Death
  • Zantac

FAQs

What is a Short Sale?

faq thumb

Buying a home After a Short Sale

faq thumb

What is a Deficiency and Why Should I Be Worried?

faq thumb

Find Yourself a Passionate Lawyer Now!

  • Bellingham Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Boulder City Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Centennial Hills Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Henderson Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Lakewood Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Nationwide Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Washington Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Yakima Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Seattle Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me

Auto Accidents Blog Posts:

client calling car insurance companies DEALING WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES IN A PERSONAL INJURY ACCIDENT

Dealing with insurance companies can be the most frustrating part of handling a personal injury claim. Whether your claim comes from a car accident, medical malpractice, workman’s comp, or dog bite ...

FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS TEXT AND DRIVE FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS TEXT AND DRIVE

Texting and hand-held cell phone use is illegal in Nevada.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that in 2014, distracted drivers caused thousands of accidents across th...

“MINOR” CAR ACCIDENTS ARE SERIOUS “MINOR” CAR ACCIDENTS ARE SERIOUS

“Minor” car accidents, perhaps caused by inattention or carelessness, can still cause a great deal of pain and suffering. According to the National Highway Traffic Administration, over 2 million peo...

LAS VEGAS RANKS LOW FOR DRIVER SAFETY LAS VEGAS RANKS LOW FOR DRIVER SAFETY

Recently, Las Vegas ranked 144 out of 200 cities in the United States for driver safety. The recent report reveals that drivers in Las Vegas have a car accident every eight years and are an astoundi...

  • Las Vegas, NV
    1290 S Jones Blvd
    Las Vegas, NV 89147

    Get Directions
  • Lakewood, WA
    9311 Bridgeport Way SW
    Lakewood WA 98499

    Get Directions
  • Yakima, WA
    32 N 3rd St STE 304
    Yakima, WA 98901

    Get Directions
Van Law Firm

Van law firm is a personal injury law firm that represents individuals injured by motor vehicle accidents in Las Vegas, Henderson, and throughout Washington. We also represent workers’ compensation cases and people who have been hurt by defective drugs like Zantac, medical devices, and products nationwide.

Contact Info

1290 S Jones Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89146
(725) 900-9000 (702) 800-4662 Get Map & Directions
9311 Bridgeport Way SW
Lakewood, WA 98499
(360) 200-0000 (360) 208-0248 Get Map & Directions
32 N 3rd St STE 304
Yakima, WA 98901
(509) 505-1000 (509) 272-0300 Get Map & Directions

Practice Areas

  • MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT
  • PERSONAL INJURY
  • WRONGFUL DEATH
  • PRODUCT LIABILITY
  • WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
  • BAD FAITH INSURANCE CLAIMS
  • UNINSURED AND UNDERINSURED ACCIDENTS
  • NURSING HOME ABUSE
Expertise best personal injury attorney award America's Fastest growing private companies award Honoree Ribbon

Privacy Policy © Copyright 2023 Van Law Firm

Please consult an attorney for advice about your unique and individual situation. This website and its information is not legal advice, nor is it intended to be. Calling our firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Until an attorney-client relationship is established, please withhold from sending any confidential information.