QuestionQUESTION: My 22 year old daughter's car was stolen. Several weeks later it was found vandalized. The California Highway Patrol called a local tow truck company to haul it out of the desert and back to the tow company storage facility. The car was purchased a few days before it was stolen for $500.00 as a work car. It has no value at this point. The tow company has charged $460.00 for towing and $40.00 per day storage - the bill is now about $1400.00+ total.
She does not have the money to pay the bill or fix the car What can she do?
ANSWER: Did she have insurance? If not you may have to try to work out something with the towing company. According to California law a towing company has a lien on a vehicle if they tow it. Did the PD try to contact you or your daughter to ask if you had a preference for a towing company?
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QUESTION: As I mentioned previously, she purchased the car just a few days before it was stolen. The title had been signed off by the previous owner but my daughter had NOT re-registered the car at DMV.
The seller is my brother-in-law. My daughter is his niece. Because of the family relationship, he was still carrying his insurance on the car until she get the car papers to DMV and insured in her name.
As I understand it, he was notified by the CHP but they told him the car was towed and that he should get the paperwork in a few days. He DID NOT inform my daughter that the car had been recovered and towed until after the paperwork was received 5 days later. He asked no questions of the CHP and did not specify any preference as to towing company.
AnswerThe insurance that was still on the vehicle should cover the expenses. They may try to argue since the vehicle was sold, but since it was still in his name they will have to cover it. You may be better letting him handle the insurance deal. No one was driving the vehicle so technically they should cover it. This means they will have to pay the towing and storage.
