Car Problems....Should I SUE????

[jimmyle]

Man...
I got into a car accident, and now the girl that hit me wont speak to me.
We were in the parking lot, and she was blocking a car that was trying to get out. She then backed up into my car without looking back. So clearly, it was her fault. I went to get an estimate for a new front bumper, and a realignment. It came out to be about $450. I called her, and now she wont return my calls. Should I sue her for the damages on my car? Also, she doesnt have insurance. What should I do?

 

[perry]

Let your insurance company's lawyers talk to her...

 

[MillionaireNextDoor]

I think she's foreign because no one in their right mind would dare excommunicate a person who could file a police report and report that she was driving without insurance. I take it that she had a new car because of the lack of insurance, right? Anyway, there will be stiff penalties for driving without insurance; she'll have more than $450 to worry about. I believe, from what you're saying, that she's a new driver, right? I think you've given her many opportunities to bring closure to the matter; pretty sad that it might go to court just because she won't speak to you. It's like arguing too much with a cop and getting a ticket when the cop was going to give you a warning in the beginning. In this case, she wouldn't speak to you at all.

Anyway, your attempts to settle it under the table is admirable; she was not even supposed to be driving without insurance. And talk to your lawyers for advice.

 

[jimmyle]

She did not respect me at all. She asked "Were you back there?"
"Did you have your lights on?" and so on. She clearly thinks that this is no biggie. But I need to get my car fixed.

 

[compuwiz1]

You need to do two things:
File a police report
Call your insurance company.

 

[Double Trouble]

Compuwiz is on the money. Talk to your insurance company and file a police report -- you will need that later if you do end up having to go to small claims court.

 

[Windogg]

I cannot reiterate this enough. File a police report in any accident situation. Have no sympathy for the person that hit you. Being nice now will only bit you in the ass later. many people have also mentioned carrying a disposable camera in the car to document any damage at the scene.

Windogg

 

[shifrbv]

Got to agree with others. Been in a similar situation myself. Some girl pulled out in front of me while going about 50 mph. She totalled my car. As I was waiting for the police to come, she said she had to go to a nearby restaurant to call a relative. She ducked off the scene and the police went ahead and filed a report and got her information from her plates then towed the cars away. I tried to get in contact with her, but could only reach her mom and got the runaround.

Bottom line, my uninsured motorists coverage took care of it (although my insurance company treated me pretty crapily because they had to pay big bucks). My insurance company kept sending me letters saying we're trying to sue her, etc. while telling me to hold off on filing my claim. They actually wanted me to pay my $1,000 deductible even though I had uninsured motorists coverage (if they don't want to pay, why do they even offer it?) if I wanted to get my car fixed right away, and made me ride around in a rental car for a month, then cancelled the rental car before my car was even in the shop. Then later, because the shop said it was totalled, they finally paid out. Well, I didn't hold off, called the state insurance examiner, and got the situation fixed promptly. Afterwards, the company raised my rates when I renewed (even though I had no at-fault accidents or tickets) and I got another company now.

 

[Whisper]

Hate to say it, but raising your rates even if the accident isn't your fault can be a fairly common occurance. Unless you have a long, long history of driving without accidents or tickets, then they're probably going to hike it up somehow. Though if you have a really nice insurance agency they might not...hope the one you ended up with is better than the one you had

 

[shifrbv]

Whisper - I was with Erie Insurance. After that accident, they're behavior really surprised me (how unwilling they were to settle it with uninsured motorists) because they were rated #2 by Consumer Reports for cost and service. That's how I found out about them because they're not a big name like State Farm, Progressive, etc.

Now, I'm with MetLife. They dropped my premium about $150 for the same coverage and they've been fine so far.

 

[Frenchie]

Compuwiz hit it right on. 1) police report 2) insurance. THe insurance co. will pay you and then sue her under their right of subrogation.

 

[PUX]

I say find out where she lives, egg her house, defecate in a bag, light it on fire, and then...then ring the door bell.

 

[PUX]

oh, ya...don't forget to run away.

 

[mztykal]

LMAO @ PUX.

Yah listen to him, but make sure to bring a friend along to film it. *L* Then post a stream up here for us to see.

 

[jimmyle]

PUX...haha good $hit...thats wat i'll do, and i'll try to get a stream...muhahahahhaa... we'll see how she likes the smell of $hit in her porch....

 

[StageLeft]

After hearing about it here I bought a disposable camera 3 days ago and keep it in glove compartment. File a police report and call insurance. Sucks to be her driving without insurance - a-holes like here could cause a major accident and not be able to give somebody the money they deserve. People who drive without insurance should fvcking go to jail!

Whats happened with my father is he got in a small accident a couple years back and the lady later said it was not her fault. It was but his insurance company thought court costs would outweigh them paying the couple thousand themselves - so they did that - but because of that raised his rates. Brutal eh? File a police report, do not let this b*tch off! I can't stand people who screw other people in accidents, grr, I'm gonna be a viglante if I hear any more stories I swear.