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I have been in this situation, both as a lawyer for the PR and also as a Successor PR.</div>
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I agree with Mark to pull out all stops and get insurance. Many agents will tell you that the insurance is not available, but not true. If an agent tells you not available, then call the 800 number of a couple of companies. The insurance is available, but at
inflated premiums.</div>
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Failing that, my experience is that the PR can be sued. I had three teenagers break into a locked garage, hotwire the estate's Cadillac car, and go joyriding. The joyride ended with a collision and the estate got sued. After that, I've been a fan of removing
the battery or the coil wire to disable the car. </div>
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If you know where the car is located several states away, then the PR could retain someone in the locality to disable the vehicle. Be careful with the wording of the authorization and maybe retain local counsel to pass on the wording of the authorization.</div>
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On another occasion where I was the PR, I hired a repo company to take the car from the wrongdoing heir who was using the vehicle without authorization. We succeeded in getting the car, but not without the repo person being discovered during the process and
being chased by the wrongdoer and five friends chasing after the car. Ended well. Made for great anecdotal stories.</div>
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Bruce Moen</div>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com> on behalf of Mark Anderson <marka@mbaesq.com><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, November 9, 2023 11:53 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Estate liability for uninsured driver?</font>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; color:#002060">Dear Genissa:</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; color:#002060"> </span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; color:#002060">I think it would be appropriate to collect and retain as much evidence as you can that the Estate did
<u>not</u> give permission for the vehicles to be used at all by anyone. This would include all communications with the Decedent's children and grandchildren. To that end, I recommend following up with a strongly worded letter or email to the Decedent's children
and grandchildren specifically stating they do not have and that <u>at no time</u> did they ever have any permission from the Estate to use any of the Decedent's vehicles. I realize this may be trying to close the barn doors after the cows have escaped but
it is still good to memorialize the fact that there was never any permission given by the Estate for anyone to use the vehicles.</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; color:#002060"> </span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; color:#002060">If the vehicles are proven to have been used without permission, then I can see no liability of the Estate in the event, for example, that the vehicle is involved
in a collision.</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; color:#002060"> </span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; color:#002060">I also recommend that you contact the auto insurance carrier to explain the situation and see if they have any comments on steps that might be taken to protect
the Estate from liability.</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; color:#002060"> </span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; color:#222A35">Mark B. Anderson<br>
</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; color:#222A35">ANDERSON LAW FIRM PLLC<br>
821 Dock St Ste 209 PMB 4-12<br>
Tacoma, Washington 98402<br>
+1 253-327-1750<br>
+1 253-327-1751 (fax)<br>
<a href="mailto:marka@mbaesq.com"><span style="color:blue">marka@mbaesq.com</span></a><br>
<a href="http://www.mbaesq.com/"><span style="color:blue">www.mbaesq.com</span></a><b></b></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial Narrow",sans-serif; color:#002060">CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE<br>
</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial Narrow",sans-serif; color:#002060">This transmission is confidential and is intended solely for the use of the individual named recipient. It may be protected by the attorney-client privilege, work
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If you have received this transmission in error, please immediately notify the sender via e-mail or by telephone at (253) 327-1750 that you have received the message in error, and then delete it. Thank you.</span><span style="font-size:7.5pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; color:#002060"></span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Genissa Richardson<br>
<b>Sent:</b> 11/09/2023 11:26 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Estate liability for uninsured driver?</p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt">Listmates,</p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> </p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt">Am I correct in thinking that an estate can be held liable if a child or grandchild of the decedent commandeers one of the decedent's vehicles and is driving around uninsured? </p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> </p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b>Here's my hypothetical fact pattern:</b></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> </p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt">One of the decedent's children is squatting in the home (working on an ejectment) and driving one of the vehicles without insurance or permission from the PR. The PR lives out of state, so it's not as easy
as showing up here and taking the keys.</p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> </p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt">The decedent's other vehicle has been commandeered by one of the decedent's grandchildren and has been driven several states away, again without insurance and without the PR's permission.</p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> </p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt">All this took place before we could get the PR appointed. The unauthorized drivers may end up getting these vehicles as part of the estate administration process (parties may negotiate TEDRA for terms slightly
different than the Will) but it's WAY too soon to know for sure and it doesn't change the fact that the titles (which can't be located) are still in the name of the decedent and neither person has insurance (at least I'm pretty sure they don't).</p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> </p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt">Both drivers have been told by PR to cease use of the vehicles and return them to the decedent's home, to no avail. Does a strongly worded letter from the estate attorney putting them on formal notice of their
wrongdoing help to reduce potential liability to the estate? </p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> </p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b>PR would prefer not to report the vehicles stolen. Is there a less severe alternative the PR can take to protect the estate? </b></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> </p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt">Any input is appreciated.<br clear="all">
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt; color:black">Genissa Richardson</span><i><span style="color:black">,</span></i><span style="color:black"> Attorney at Law</span></b></p>
</div>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="color:black">True North Legal Services, PLLC</span></b></p>
</div>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="color:black">301 Prospect St., Bellingham, WA 98225</span></b></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="color:black">PO Box 934, Bellingham, WA 98227 (mailing address)</span></b></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="color:black">Phone (360) 639-3393</span></b></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="color:#222222">U.S. Coast Guard Veteran</span></b><span style="color:#222222"></span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="color:#222222"> </span></p>
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<div>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt; color:#222222">NOTICE OF UNAVAILABILITY:</span></b><span style="color:#222222"></span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="color:#222222">I am out of the office and unavailable the following dates:</span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="color:#222222">December 22nd, 2023 - January 1st, 2024</span></p>
</div>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="color:#222222">January 17th - 29th, 2024</span></p>
</div>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="color:#222222"> </span></p>
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