Rental car company files suit after customer allegedly inflicts $25K worth of damages

NEW ORLEANS – A rental car company is suing a customer who waived optional liability insurance on a rental car and then crashing it into a duplex.

EAN Holdings LLC filed suit against Tamara Thorpe in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court on Jan. 13.

On Dec. 14, 2011, the plaintiff, Tamara Thorpe, reached a “Rental Agreement” for a 2011 Dodge Charger (denoted as “the rental car”) owned by the defendant, EAN Holdings, LLC (denoted as “EAN”). However, Thorpe allegedly declined to accept EAN’s Supplemental Liability Protection (SLP) offer as part of the agreement.

On Dec. 14, 2011, around 3:24 a.m., the defendant allegedly crashed “the rental car” near the intersection of North Robertson Street and Clouet Street into the adjacent duplex located at 1433 and 1435 Clouet Street in New Orleans The aforementioned duplex was owned by JJ&J Enterprises LLC and covered by Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. One of the tenants, Larry Phillips, also claimed damages were incurred to his “belongings” as a result of the incident.

EAN was allegedly forced to settle with JJ&J, Louisiana Citizens and Phillips as a result of the defendant’s incident. EAN Holdings claims that Thorpe is contractually obliged to pay $25,136.71 as a result of the damages sustained by JJ&J, Louisiana Citizens, and Larry Phillips on the Dec. 14, 2011 incident.

Attorney Donna Powe Green represents the plaintiff.

The case has been assigned to Div. M Judge Paulette R. Irons.

Case no. 2014-00410.