What If My Stolen Vehicle Was Involved In An Accident?

Car accidents have been at a steady increase over time, with an increase of around 8% in traffic fatalities every year in California. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, motorcycle accidents are also at a yearly year increase of around 3%.

If you have been involved in a car accident in California, give our attorneys a call to discuss how you could get compensation for your injuries. If you’re involved in a car accident that was at no fault of your own, you could hold the other party accountable and recover compensation through various ways.

For example, you could file a claim with your insurance company or with the at-fault party’s insurance company. This involves dealing with the insurance company adjusters as they investigate the circumstances of the accident and try to settle. However, sometimes, insurance companies oftentimes like to offer lowball amounts and do not take into consideration any future medical costs.

You can also file a lawsuit for the injuries that you have sustained from a car accident. You could file a lawsuit against the at-fault party. However, sometimes, the at-fault party may have been an employee while the accident occurred. If they were an employee and on the job at the time of the accident, you could also get the driver’s employer involved under a negligence vicarious legal theory.

Although this may seem pretty clear-cut, it could get very complex depending on the circumstances. For example, if your car was in an accident while it was reported stolen, it could lead to several different complex issues as parties try to investigate the cause of the accident and determine the liable parties.

We recommend that you contact an experienced car accident law firm for an in-depth investigation into the circumstances of your case. Our law firm offers complimentary consultations where we have the opportunity to review all the facts about your case and give you an overall idea as to what the best way of moving forward with your case. Keep in mind that each case is different from one another, and the best way of getting a straightforward response is by setting up a one-on-one case evaluation with a highly qualified attorney.

California Vehicle Theft Statistics

• Lawsuits and insurance claims could get complicated when the vehicle has been reported stolen. According to the California Highway Patrol, in a single year, there were around 200,000 vehicles that were stolen. This equated to an estimated total value of around 2 billion dollars. This number was reported to be a 2% increase from the previous years. 
• Around 51% of vehicle thefts in california occurred in Los Angeles county, san diego county, san bernardino county, and Orange County.

The most common counties where vehicle thefts are likely to occur in California are:

• Los Angeles County
•  Alameda County
•  San Diego County
•  San Bernardino County
•  Riverside County
•  Santa Clara County
•  Kern County
•  Orange County
•  Sacramento County
•  San Francisco County

Los Angeles County takes the lead in combined vehicle thefts compared to other counties in California.

What are the most common types of vehicles that are stolen?

According to the California Highway Patrol, there are a specific set of cars that are more likely to get stolen compared to others. Below is the list of the most frequently stolen cars in a single year in california:

•  Kia Optima
•  Honda Civic
•  Ford Freightliner
•  Chevy Silverado
•  Kawasaki  Motorcycles
•  Honda Motorcycles

The CHP estimates that the reason for this specific target vehicle group is because the parts are very expensive, and these vehicles hold their value.

What is the likelihood of a stolen vehicle being recovered?

There is a very high likelihood that your stolen vehicle could be recovered. Especially with the increase in the number of newer models that  are easily traceable through various navigation and map systems.  Among the 200,000 vehicles stolen, around 85% were recovered. However, vehicles stolen for the purposes of cargo theft are not as easily recoverable.

Can I be responsible for a car accident if my vehicle was stolen?

In some cases, you could get involved in a lawsuit with a car accident victim even if your vehicle was stolen and cause damage to another. But, the one making the claim that the vehicle was stolen must show that they were not responsible for the accident and they did not have access to their vehicle at the time of the accident. Usually, after proving this, the owner of the vehicle is able to get out of the lawsuit. But, you must have strong evidence that shows your vehicle was stolen.

We recommend that you speak to our attorneys if you have had your vehicle stolen, then your vehicle was involved in an accident.

Could I still be liable under my insurance policy if my vehicle was stolen and then involved in a car accident?

Usually, if you can prove to your insurance company that you did not have access to your vehicle and your vehicle was stolen at the time of the accident, you will not be held liable in both a lawsuit and in an insurance claim. If the injured party files a claim with your insurance company, you should communicate with your insurance company the details about your car theft. Your insurance company will launch its own independent investigation to look into the circumstances of the stolen vehicle.

Could I file a claim for my stolen vehicle?

If your vehicle was stolen, you could file a claim with your insurance company under the theft policy. It depends on the insurance policy you have, but usually car insurance companies offer policies that cover the insured for theft of their vehicle. This means that they will cover the cost of repairing or replacing the vehicle.

If the car is recovered, you could also file a claim with the perpetrator’s insurance company, or file a lawsuit against the perpetrator. But, it depends on the circumstances of your case. We recommend that you talk to our attorneys before taking any steps on filing a claim with your insurance.

What if I was a victim of a car accident by a stolen vehicle?

It could get a bit tricky if you were involved in an accident with a stolen vehicle, and the driver drove off. However, fortunately, a large majority of stolen vehicles are tracked down by the Los Angeles police department. We will work with the police department to determine who the responsible party is and pursue a claim against them.

How can our Los Angeles car accident attorneys help you?

Our attorneys have decades of experience representing victims in various complex cases. We understand that it could get very frustrating, especially if your car has been involved in an accident that you no longer have access to.

For more information, contact our attorneys today to set up a one-on-one case evaluation. Our case evaluations are complimentary and do not require any costs upfront. Our attorneys work through a contingency fee agreement and do not collect any fees up front until we win for you. Our professional attorneys are available 24/7 to answer any questions or concerns.

We understand the various complications that could arise from a car accident. We are here to help. We provide specialized and attentive detail to all accidents because we understand that two accidents are not the same.

*** Disclaimer: This page, created by Heidari Law Group, is intended for educational purposes only and provides a broad overview of legal principles. It should not be considered specific legal advice. Your use of this site and review of this material does not establish an attorney-client relationship with Heidari Law or any of its members. Laws are subject to change, and therefore some information presented here may not reflect current legal standards. All logos and images on this site are the property of their respective owners and are used only for illustrative purposes; their presence does not indicate endorsement or affiliation. Please respect the copyright restrictions of these images and logos. If you have concerns about copyright infringement or require proper attribution, contact us immediately. We are committed to honoring intellectual property rights and will respond promptly to any issues.