[Maple Leaf]

Yesterday I stopped at a roadside vegetable stand to pick up some sweet corn. I pulled in behind a 4wd, got out, got the corn and then went back to my car and leaned over to put it on the passenger seat. I hadn't even closed the door yet and felt the car jolt back.
The woman in front of me backed into my car and her trailer hitch (the steel part with a ball on top? Tow ball thing? Not sure what they are called here!) scraped into my fender and also dented it badly. I got out of the car and so did she.

So, here's where it gets weird. She starts going right off and calls me a "stupid f'ing girl" for parking behind her! (unfortunately I couldn't park beside her as I would have blocked her in). There are no witnesses as the road side stand just has a money box. She first denied doing the damage the whole while yelling at me and then got into her car to back up again to prove it didn't match up! (it did). She just backed up without looking, end of story. When I walked past her to the stand I noticed she was on her phone and perhaps was distracted and didn't even bother looking to see if anyone had pulled in behind her while she was sitting there.

My 3 year old is in the car very upset because of this woman going off. Her car has no damage at all as the steel ball took the full force. I managed to get her details and a picture of the back of her car (plus license plate) in case she did a runner. I gave her my details as well as she had my license plate anyway.

She takes off after that screaming the whole time. So I'm a bit of a mess now after all that abuse.
I rang the police but they say it's not a police matter as she did give me her details.

I called my insurance company and on monday the car will be assessed and they will chase it up with her insurance company.

So, what happens when she lies and says that I ran into the back of her? My insurance company has said they will "try to take care of me" (whatever that means) if she does lie but was just wondering if anyone had an incident before where someone blatantly lied about what happened and you still had your repairs covered fully? Sigh.

It would be very hard to believe that I got into my car and stared straight ahead at a brilliant white 4wd yet put it into drive and hit her, just for the fun of it,when I see it right in front of me.
I just hope she does the right thing but after seeing her go off at me when she was the one that was in the wrong, I don't have much hope.

And as an added bonus the 3 year old was up with nightmares last night talking about the mean woman who was yelling at me!

[AvadaKedavra]

Let the insurers fight it out. You have explained it to your insurer, they have a vested interest in not letting the other person get away with it.

[Maple Leaf]

Let the insurers fight it out. You have explained it to your insurer, they have a vested interest in not letting the other person get away with it.

True! I should just chill then and hope for the best. What a day though.

[julzely]

The insurers will sort it out, however i would also write down everything you can remember from the incident so that if it drags on for a little while you don't forgot any details.

[~kitteh.hoardere...]

Sounds like it could end up a sucky situation... I'd be worried that she says that you rear ended her?

Hopefully she tells the truth. Fingers crossed for you!

[blithely2]

If you've got her details and given your account that's enough for the insurance company. Let them do all the work for you and try not to worry about it. Sounds like her nuttiness shook you more than the bingle but don't let her lord it over you now that it's happened. Refer her to the insurance company if she has further issues and avoid all contact with her.

[HollyOllyOxenfre...]

That sucks I'm sure your insurers will be able to sort it out. If she gave her details despite no damage to her car, I would imagine she gets that it was her fault and was just angry that it happened.

Admittedly I have no experience in the field, but I would imagine the damage on your car would be different if it had been you moving and her stationary? Not sure if they look into it that deeply.

Hope it all ends well for you

EFS

This post has been edited by HollyOllyOxenfree: 29/11/2012, 10:39 AM

[Natahs_mum]

This happened to DH a while back. he was waiting to come out of a service road from the station, and a women came up beside him (not even allowed there) and then cut him off and hit him.

They exchanged details etc... and hee took phgotos of damage (not easy as it was dark)(. But did get photo of number plate. He knew she also parked at the station and took pic sth enext day.

Anyhow she lied about it and also had other marks on the car (which were already there) different places. Sh ehad even told DH she had, had another accident earlier that week.

She tried to fight sayng ti was our fault, she was the one in the wrong spot and ran into us.

So Dh fought it with the insurance company, and even sent in detailed diagrams of what happened, and it took a while but we won in the end... Which we shouldn't as she was the one in the wrong.

Good luck with it all. But fight all the way.. She was in the wroing... i too have a 4x4 and am always careful where l park and look all around me, and those towballs are a pain it the a*se when you hit something with them

[rilees~mums]

How terrible, sorry you and your little one had to go through that.

One thing I will suggest, document everything that happened (much like you did in your OP) on a stat dec, and give it to your insurance company.

Hopefully the crazy driver will have calmed down and do the right thing.

[*Kell*]

Worse case scenario -
The insurers find you at fault. You pay your excess and your insurance company pays for both cars to be repaired (if hers needs any at all).

In between scenario -
The insurers find 'split' fault. You both pay either your full or part excesses. Your insurance company fixes your car.

Best case scenario -
The insurers find her at fault. She pays her excess and her insurance company pays to get your car fixed (or yours gets it fixed and claims the costs back from hers).

In this particular scenario, without witnesses, unless both insurance companies are feeling generous, I suspect the first two scenarios are more likely.
But keep fighting, don't change your story, and don't give in.

Good Luck.