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Valet Damage - Who’s Liable?

Liability for various damage types to your car may vary from
state to state, but generally speaking the person driving the
vehicle at the time it was damaged will be liable for the repairs.
In the case of a professional valet that is driving your vehicle and
damages it, the responsibility would normally fall to the valet’s
employer (normally a contractor employed by the business you
were visiting).

But It’s Never That Easy…

If you are visiting a place that offers valet parking and one of the
valets damages your vehicle, getting information on the proper
insurance company you need to contact for repairs can
sometimes be a bit of hard work. The mall, restaurant, theatre
or whatever that you were patronizing likely has policies and
clear signs stating that they are not responsible for damage to
your vehicle. This is probably because they have hired an
independent company, such as American Valet, to handle the
parking and that company is required to carry its own insurance
and insure its employees against such damage to your vehicle. If
this is the case, then you will want to speak with the on-site
manager of the valet company to get the phone number and
address of their corporate office so you can speak to them about
the matter.
If You’re Still Stonewalled
Usually you will receive frank, friendly service from the valet
company and the company you were patronizing, but if, for some
reason, they are less than forthcoming with the information you
need, this is not something you should blow a gasket over. Simply
collect all of the information you can, such as the name and
address of the company you were visiting, the name and address
of the valet company and the name and address of the specific
driver whom you believe damaged your car. Turn all of this over
to your insurance company - without filing a claim - and explain
the full story to them. They will take it from there and have many
more resources at their disposal to get to the bottom of who is
liable and will ultimately pay for the damage to your car.
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