myfirst_tl

i was sitting at a red light and someone hit me from behind. not very hard, but it did leave two holes in my back bumper from his license plate screws from his front bumper. he asked if he could pay for it instead of going thru his insurance...blah, blah, blah. for some reason, i agreed and took his information down and we went our separate ways. i went and got an estimate and called him back and of course he never picks up or calls me back

i got his insurance info and live in maryland but if he doesn't call me back, am i out of luck?

noah82

Try to call him again and be sure to block your caller ID.

myfirst_tl

let's say i do that and he picks up. i ask him to pay for the damages and he says no. then what?

jupitersolo

Did you get other information from him, DL or tags. If so contact your insurance and maybe the Police to get this settled.

myfirst_tl

i have his insurance company's info and policy number and his license plate number. will the police care that the "accident" took place a month ago and that i didn't call the police when it actually took place? i need a lawyer don't i?

sabotfiveo

it's too late to contact the police. once you two decided to exchange information with each other, it was no longer a police matter. it is now a civil matter. i've seen this happen quite a few times. he was at fault and now he doesn't want to pay. if you can get more of his information, get your attorney to send him a certified letter. maybe the thought of legal action will spook him enough so that he will do the right thing and pay.

KJSmitty

In my local the police will not even respond to a fender-bender unless one or both cars are non-drivable and/or someone is injured. So basically swapping ID/insurance info is all you can do - then hope for the best. Then again, that’s what most of us carry comprehensive and uninsured motorists insurance etc..

If I were you and remotely felt the guy was not going to follow through with "paying out of his pocket", I would contact my own insurance carrier, give them all of the accident and his info, and let them handle it through his carrier etc.. Do this sooner vs later.. He will then come out of the woodwork to iron things out with you and his insurance or just suffer a claim against his policy..

If you haven't already, go down and file a police/accident report with the individuals info etc.. This will be an official report that will help you and your insurance carrier go after that individual. (get the accident documented)


Now lies the possible problem... Did he give you factual info for his ID and insurance carrier/number?? Also, will he deny the entire event with his own carrier when confronted. Always a "great" idea to have a disposable camera in your glove box to document cars, location, and "faces" after an accident..

Above all, hopefully you have insurance that will go after him and/or cover your damage. In all reality, I don't trust anyone anymore.... I wouldn't wait, call your insurance carrier and report it now,,,


Best of luck!!

KJSmitty

Not the case at all.... I've had to do this on two occasions.

Filing the police report just states: "I am saying this happened and am willing to make it official etc."

Sure it's still your word against his but it's officially documented.

Tell the police and your insurance the entire story/history thus explaining why you have waited this long.

Good luck

chill_dog

Uh, you have his insurance info...quit dicking around and file a claim.

sabotfiveo

sorry, i was going by our department policy. it will not allow us to make a report after both parties left the scene or if they agreed to exchange information amongst each other. it's difficult to reconstruct any traffic incident when away from the location of occurence. that's just us. different departments and other states may do things differently.

tripflex

Sorry about your luck bro, sounds like you might be outa luck. Of course i don't condone anything i'm about to say i'm just saying...

One of my buddies had the same problem a year or so ago, someone rear ended his prelude and had the same problem, but only one of the screws went through. Basically he got all the guys information, DL number, address, name, etc, all insurance info. Basically after he got the quote the guy never returned phone calls, his insurance told him since they both left the scene they couldn't do anything about it.


Needless to say somehow the guys back bumper was smashed in by a hammer. Just thought this story was kinda funny because it sounds exactly like my buddies incident...


Of course i do not condone that activity, but when it came down to it.

Yes, he got screwed. So much for people with good faith....

KJSmitty

Agreed,

I remember how piss'd I was both times because the police wouldn't respond to my "scene". Both involved minor fender-benders and both with individuals who wouldn't (couldn't) even produce registration/license/insurance information!! Local police wanted nothing to do with it (even after I informed them of the "lack-of" information "swapping")and told me to just come in and file a report.

Yes, I’m still bitter about it and the fact the police more or less condone uninsured / non-licensed drivers in this state.....

Then again, that's why insurance premiums are 3 times what they were in the last state I lived in...

jay0k

I know it's after the fact but for others this might help.

My insurance agent told me if I am ever in a wreck to always call the police and have a report filed. Do not move the vehicle no matter how much the other party pressures.

With that said sometimes our police department goes on "slick streets" and will only respond to injury accidents. When this happens be prepared to be screwed. It's your word against theirs. Life isn't always fair and insurance companies will only pay if they have to.

I've never been in an accident but if I ever am I hope whoever hits me totals the car and my family and I can walk away. The $1,000 - $2,000 fenders benders I have seen kill resale value in the information age (carfax) and the victim always seems to have to claim it on their own insurance.

jay0k

Oklahoma is working on passing a law that will start impounding vehicles of drivers who are uninsured. I hope it passes so we can get those folks off the street which will eventually lower premiums over time as uninsured motorist claims go down.

lights

iTrader: (1)

when accident happens, you need to take action right away.
nobody will accept what happen after a month.

sorry but you're out of luck....but if you think it's worth it to get a lawyer for 2 license plate holes on your bumper, go for it.

but should've taken action that day and followed him to the bank to get his money.

geekybiker

If the police wont come (or even if they do) use your cameraphone to take alot of pictures of the scene before you move anything. If its ever contested, you want evidence on your side.

01tl4tl

You can still file a report- is the damage serious under the bumper hidden tailpipe damage or????
Most states do not require immediate police action unless over a certain amount $$$ of damage
Anyone who gives you their info and then fails to contact you is guilty of a hit and run
- can you say felony???
For those who say other party will deny- then how exactly did you get all their info?
I had a lady give me info once- made a poilce report and when the Police called it was number to her ex husband, who said she was gone to parts unknown- so she got a felony warrant for hit and run against a bicycle- how embarressing for her to explain when she got pulled over later

01tl4tl

Cash on the spot for anyone who wants to leave the insurance out of it
Thats the rule now!!
And carry uninsured motorist coverage to back yo up- so many without license or insurance in this country

maluskills

Not sure i agree w/ some of the comments above...but my dad rear ended someone last month...no police report since our PD won't even file a police report unless someone is injured.
He gave the lady his insurance info...a week or so later we get a message on the machine from our insurance to verify that an accident took place, and that if we didn't respond in 14days, our policy would be dropped. So we obviously called them back...we told them the accident did happen.
That was all that was needed from us, unless you are filing a claim for your own vehicle (which i don't think you are)

The only snag in this would be if the guy's insurance comp. called him and he denied the accident...but he'd have to be a little ballsy to lie to the insurance company and risk an investigation...

darksom1

That's what the hell I was thinking! What are you waiting for????

darksom1

Oh yeah, one other thing...very, very, very important...when you contact his insurance company, DON'T mention that you and that guy had a deal! Just say that you were giving him enough time to pay out of pocket because he asked you to so his insurance wouldn't go up. After not hearing from him, you are tired of waiting and you want your car fixed. As long as you are within the timeframe for reporting a claim to the insurance company (you have to find out from making an anonymous call to them I guess, or maybe MD has guidelines) then you should be ok. If you got an estimate, and I hope you did because it helps prove the timeline of events, show them that and tell them that is how much it cost to repair it. Since he gave you the info, obviously he did the "act". If they don't take your claim, then give the info to your insurance company and let them handle it!

KJSmitty

In TX, if your car is drivable and you don't move it out of traffic - You will be the one getting the citation......


True however, no matter what, always file a police/accident report immediatly following the event...

myfirst_tl

dicking around?...i was WAITING for him to call back or something. i'll give you guys the final verdict once i stop dicking around and call his insurance company. do honest people exist anymore?

dwest1023

Now you have to hope it gave you the right insurance information. NEVER trust anybody if its something you care about. Its sad to say this, but today people are just plain dishonest. There are more hit and runs then ever. Next time if you are not at fault, call the police and tell them you are injured. They will have to charge someone then, and make a report with all the CORRECT information.

I wish you well, but even his insurance company will not want to pay if he does not report it. Even then, if he lies about what happens his insurance company will stall, because they will not want to pay. The only thing insurance companies understand are lawyers, and ONLY because they may have to pay more. I wish you well my friend and hoped you have learned a valuable lesson.

darksom1

I hear you DWest, but luckily, not all people are living foul like that! Check this lady out who hit my ride two days after I got my grille done, and I was nowhere around, but she left this note :



Just as sweet as she could be when I called her! Told me that if there is anything, anything wrong with the way they (her insurance co.) fixed my car, she will handle it out of pocket!! Bless her heart! (sniff) I just remembered that I have to send her a thank you card!