Practice question
After a collision, one driver is charged with reckless imprudence. He and his vehicle’s owner allege that the private complainant’s negligence caused their own losses and file a properly pleaded quasi-delict action. Does the driver’s status as accused alone bar that civil case?
- Yes, an accused can never be an injured civil claimant.
- No; Casupanan recognizes the separate quasi-delict route when its requisites are established.
- Yes, only the first complainant can invoke negligence.
- No; their complaint automatically proves the other driver guilty.
- Yes, the civil claim must be a counterclaim inside the criminal case.
Legal references
- https://lawphil.net/courts/rules/rc_110-127_crim.html — Rule 111 sections 1–3: ex delicto action and independent civil actions.
- https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1949/ra_386_1949.html — Civil Code articles 32, 33, 34, 2176 and 2177.
- https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2002/aug2002/gr_145391_2002.html — Casupanan v. Laroya, G.R. 145391, August 26, 2002, main opinion: no reservation and independent quasi-delict.
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