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<p class="MsoNormal">I agree with the prior sage advice that has been given. Here’s a thought to ponder: If these are just lower end inexpensive vehicles and you can’t get insurance or it’s astronomically expensive, move as quickly as you can to get the ownership
changed into the hands of these folks in possession. I would bet it’s going to be a real challenge to get insurance on a vehicle that is now out of state. With Letters T you can go to DOL and get the title info and the paperwork to change from decedent to
estate or release interest to 3<sup>rd</sup> party. There are some DOL agents that offer same day transfers for a small additional fee. Those places are listed on the website. As a practical matter, that may ultimately be the less expensive option and removes
the potentially huge liability component to the PR/estate. A $10,000 vehicle is not worth a $1 million dollar uninsured claim. Add the vehicle to their distribution column - of course nicest if it’s contained in a tidy TEDRA, but speed may be needed right
now over tidiness. PR could later be criticized for distributing, but I’d rather defend that position than an accident claim with uninsured estate vehicles being driven by potentially irresponsible people.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Script MT Bold"">Jennifer L. White, Esq.</span>
<span style="font-family:"Script MT Bold""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img width="105" height="105" style="width:1.0958in;height:1.0958in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DA1312.646E4BE0"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:jen@appletreelaw.com"><span style="color:#0563C1;font-style:normal">jen@appletreelaw.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif">2200 S 76<sup>th</sup> Ave<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif">Yakima, WA 98903<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif">509.225.9813<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="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> Thursday, November 9, 2023 1:17 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Estate liability for uninsured driver?<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you for your input Bruce. Much appreciated!<br clear="all">
<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><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><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">True North Legal Services, PLLC</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">301 Prospect St., Bellingham, WA 98225</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">PO Box 934, Bellingham, WA 98227 (mailing address)</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">Phone (360) 639-3393</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#222222">U.S. Coast Guard Veteran</span></b><span style="color:#222222"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#222222"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:#222222">NOTICE OF UNAVAILABILITY:</span></b><span style="color:#222222"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#222222">I am out of the office and unavailable the following dates:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#222222">December 22nd, 2023 - January 1st, 2024<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#222222">January 17th - 29th, 2024<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#222222"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Source Sans Pro",sans-serif;color:black">The information transmitted by this email is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed. This email may contain proprietary, business-confidential
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">On Thu, Nov 9, 2023 at 12:35 PM Bruce Moen <<a href="mailto:brm@moenlaw.com">brm@moenlaw.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">I have been in this situation, both as a lawyer for the PR and also as a Successor PR.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">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. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black"> Bruce Moen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">From:</span></b><span style="color:black">
<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com" target="_blank">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com" target="_blank">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>> on behalf of Mark Anderson <<a href="mailto:marka@mbaesq.com" target="_blank">marka@mbaesq.com</a>><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, November 9, 2023 11:53 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <<a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com" target="_blank">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Estate liability for uninsured driver?</span> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#002060">Dear Genissa:</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#002060"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><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><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#002060"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><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><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#002060"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><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><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#002060"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p 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" target="_blank">marka@mbaesq.com</a><br>
<a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.mbaesq.com_&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=kDcM-fraYQNOZ1rCslLoMSSRXJQXmQVvRJbE6ymQGho&m=C7AgLr4zBK_tp3I2sc5xH5wh7RAAwMBf7bVNvhNb2xue2mSM_PssZI_u8y-CU1YK&s=MCGdfuSDfAQJaBwkF6ytF5PG2bLxcl29jF0Y4jQMD4k&e=" target="_blank">www.mbaesq.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow",sans-serif;color:#002060">CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE<br>
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<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com" target="_blank">
wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com" target="_blank">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>>
<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 <<a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com" target="_blank">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Estate liability for uninsured driver?<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt">Listmates,<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p 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? <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b>Here's my hypothetical fact pattern:</b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p 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.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p 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.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p 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).<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p 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? <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p 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><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt">Any input is appreciated.<br clear="all">
<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p 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><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="color:black">True North Legal Services, PLLC</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="color:black">301 Prospect St., Bellingham, WA 98225</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="color:black">PO Box 934, Bellingham, WA 98227 (mailing address)</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="color:black">Phone (360) 639-3393</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><b><span style="color:#222222">U.S. Coast Guard Veteran</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="color:#222222">I am out of the office and unavailable the following dates:</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="color:#222222">December 22nd, 2023 - January 1st, 2024</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="color:#222222">January 17th - 29th, 2024</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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