No Good Deed goes UNPUNISHED!

[DawnCt1]

Two weeks ago, DS 21 was parked in the college parking lot. When he came out to the Ford F150 pickup truck, a girl's small car was stuck to his bumper. She pulled in too close and caused some rear quarter damage, including the tail light. He assisted her, they exchanged information but she did not know her insurance company. She said that she would have her father call when she got home. He called, thanked my DS for "being a gentleman" and said that he would take care of "what ever it was" so his daughter wouldn't have an insurance claim. The police weren't called by DS 21 because he didn't have a cell phone and he thought that it would be under $500. We got the estimate, it was $1400, the father came to see the truck two Saturday's ago and balked at paying that amount. He said that he wanted us to go to another autobody shop. I told him that we were under no obligation to do so but we would do it "to be nice". He promised to call Monday with the telephone number. No phone call. I called his cell phone, he wouldn't answer. I called his daughter's cell, no answer. I called his house and talked to his wife, no call back. Today I called him and told him that it has gone on too long, that we would be filing a claim and I needed his insurance information. He said; "I tried to be nice but obviously you aren't". He refused to give me the information. I am going into DH's office, they are having a going away party for him. He leaves for Texas on Sunday and then on to Iraq. After I leave, I will go to the police dept and file an accident report. Any other suggestions? DS should have insisted on the insurance info or called the police on the spot. He didn't.

 

[mtblujeans]

Oh, yeah....been there, done that, burned the t-shirt! I had someone roll back into my car on a hill at a stop light. We got out, exchanged info, the teenager begged me not to call the police and make a report so I didn't. They broke out a large, plastic grill on the front of my car. I called and found a new one was about $800, as I recall. When I called the girl and told her what it was going to cost, I never heard from her again. I called a couple of weeks later and got screamed at by her Mom. I should be ashamed of myself for taking advantage of a teenager like that, I should go to the junk yard and "pick up" another one, and, if I keep calling, they are going to report me to the police.

Oh, yeah, I make police reports on everything, now.....

 

[MosMom]

I would tell the dad you are going to report her as a hit and run since she refuses to give insurance info or pay. There is probably some evidence on her car of the accident.

 

[HonestAbe]

I had a good friend of mine who's son went through this EXACT same thing. I told him call the cops but he wouldnt listen. 2 weeks later he called the cops and problem solved. DO NOT hesitate. It only will cost you in the end.

 

[dizagain]

Oh, how awful! I got into a small accident in a parking lot last year...someone backed out of a space into me as I was driving down the main strip. Anyway, we exchanged info, etc. and all turned out ok, but we were told the police wouldn't come to an accident scene in a parking lot...so maybe your son couldn't have had police involvement anyway. Good luck and keep fighting them!

 

[BelleMcNally]

That's TERRIBLE!!

When I first started driving, I did the same thing as the girl. The gentleman whose car I damaged was so kind and let me pay him without getting anyone else involed. I was so upset about it, thanked him profusely, and paid up promptly when he gave me the cost. I can't imagine being so rude as to not meet kindness and compassion with decency in return...

 

[AllyandJack]

Someone hit my car back in December and the cops wouldn't come there either. We were pulled over, but on a street in the middle of the city. The guy was being a real jerk, too. I called my insurance company and told them I wasn't filing a claim ($500. deductible, very little damage to my car, not worth the effort). So, they said I didn't have to do anything I insisted they take my recorded statement because the guy who hit me thought he was right. I also filed a police report just in case. I guess it's easier to have the inclination to do those things when the person is being a big jerk and not so easy to think that way if the person seems nice. I think we like to believe the best about people.

 

[eclectics]

Same thing happened to me also. I got a weepy song and dance about how they would cancel her insurance and she couldn't get to work to feed her children. Oh brother ! I fell for it and after two months of double talk I finally said enough is enough and dumped the matter with my insurance agent (who also turned out to be the other party's agent also!) Agent didn't see the humor in it though! My agent took care of it and I got a check in 2 weeks. I didn't have to go to the police or anything. Hope it works out for your son, Dawn, and tell him, sadly a handshake doesn't mean what it used to.

 

[DawnCt1]

I tend to be very sympathetic (an easy mark?) as does DS 21. Anyway, after the party, DS and I went to the police station in the town of the accident and the desk officer didn't think they could help at all. He had a traffic officer come down to tell me the bad news. I told him the circumstances and he nicely said that there wasn't anything he could do and then I mentioned that I was hoping to get things straighten around before DH deployed to Iraq on Sunday. He said, "let me see what I can do". He took all of the info, etc, etc and said to call him Wednesday. He said he had a long weekend but would follow up for sure. I am feeling better. If worse comes to worse, I file a claim, pay the deductible and have the insurance company follow up.

 

[kbkids]

Sometimes, it doesn't even help to call the cops. We had a kid rear end us at a stop sign - not bad, only bumper damage. Well, we called the police, because, I'm sorry - I just do simply because of stories like yours. Well, they write up the report, and guess what, the kid has no insurance. He promises he will pay for the damage. We get an estimate, $600, and this was from our friend who owns a body shop and was doing us a favor. The dad got involved and wanted us to take it to a cheap body shop (our van was only 2 months old) and have it done there because his son had already had to pay a ticket for not having insurance. And that's my fault, why??
We refused, and he said he would get a check in the mail - which, of course, never came. We had an attorney friend write a letter, stating we would be filing a claim in small claims court - still no response. After speaking with our attorney friend and a few police officers, they all said it would do no good and would be a waste of our time. Even though the judge would rule in our favor, we still couldn't force him to pay it - kid would probably lose his license, but that would probably just make them madder and they definitely wouldn't send us the money. Our insurance agent said we could file it through them, but honestly, for that amount, their attornies would probably never try to recoup the loss. It just wasn't worth the hassle. Especially when just a few months later, I backed into a pole and made an even bigger dent. It's just easier to leave it - then I'm not freaking out over every little scratch and ding!

 

[eclectics]

Sometimes, it doesn't even help to call the cops. We had a kid rear end us at a stop sign - not bad, only bumper damage. Well, we called the police, because, I'm sorry - I just do simply because of stories like yours. Well, they write up the report, and guess what, the kid has no insurance. He promises he will pay for the damage. We get an estimate, $600, and this was from our friend who owns a body shop and was doing us a favor. The dad got involved and wanted us to take it to a cheap body shop (our van was only 2 months old) and have it done there because his son had already had to pay a ticket for not having insurance. And that's my fault, why??
We refused, and he said he would get a check in the mail - which, of course, never came. We had an attorney friend write a letter, stating we would be filing a claim in small claims court - still no response. After speaking with our attorney friend and a few police officers, they all said it would do no good and would be a waste of our time. Even though the judge would rule in our favor, we still couldn't force him to pay it - kid would probably lose his license, but that would probably just make them madder and they definitely wouldn't send us the money. Our insurance agent said we could file it through them, but honestly, for that amount, their attornies would probably never try to recoup the loss. It just wasn't worth the hassle. Especially when just a few months later, I backed into a pole and made an even bigger dent. It's just easier to leave it - then I'm not freaking out over every little scratch and ding!

That's a shame. I think there should be a uniform federal law; No insurance? You loose your license until it is reinstated or purchased. No exceptions! It's not fair to the other party if you have an accident.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I was in an accident a year or so ago...a gal t-boned me making a left turn.
Police were called, reports made out including witnesses, yep you guessed it...Phony insurance card.

So even though you do things "right" you still get burned!

 

[dennis99ss]

File in small claims court, and have them served.

 

[DMickey28]

I work in insurance claims and handle all our legal files. If you go through your own ins. most will go to the end of the earth to get your money back. It may take a while, but they will send these people to collections and ruin their credit if they don't pay. If you file a small claims court and they refuse to pay, if the judge rules in your favor and gives them a judgement that judgement will hunt them until they settle it.... It never just goes away when you get an large insurance company or court system in the mix.

 

[Planogirl]

Back when I had a special edition firebird, a lady swerved into my lane and I swerved sideways to avoid her. I ended up running into a curb and destroying a wheel that cost over $200. That was 20 years or so ago so that was a lot for a rim.

She stopped and apologized profusely and promised to pay for a new wheel. Of course when I called her, she told me that I overreacted and that I was responsible for the wheel. Funny how her story changed.

I just bought my own wheel and chalked it up to experience. I always hope that if there is such a thing as karma that it deals with people like these.

 

[micki7337]

I think this must happen everywhere. I had someone pull the same sob story on me. He T-Boned me at an intersection in the snow. Pushed me across on-coming traffic and then gunned his engine spinning me around. The guy cried. Even begged me to not call the cops because he would lose his license and if he couldn't drive he'd lose his job...wife was pregnanet, yada, yada, yada. Guy sends me to a "friend" at an autobody shop. Only to find out the "friend" was just someone his mother knew and he wasn't going to do any work on my car without someone paying him. After months of calling and getting a run around, I told them I was going to file with my insurance which would require a police report. The wife, who wasn't even at the accident, threathens to sue me for hit and run! Uhhh, he hit me! Long story short, wife tells me to "go ahead an file. My daddy's a cop and I'll get the record pulled!" So I filed. And quess what? My insurance goes to pull the record and low and behold, the darn thing never existed! (According to the lovely Philadelphia Police Department!) I had to file 3 times, the last with the Captain, before my insurance could process my claim.

Lesson learned - never again!

 

[JVL1018]

That happened to me when I was about 20..except we did have a police report, but the lady said she would just pay, didn't want the insuranec company involved. I got the estimate, mailed it to her, then after a week left a message on her machine.
A few days later I get a letter from her lawyer saying they would press charges if I didn't stop harrassing her!!
One letter and one phone call doing what SHE wished, and I am harrassing??
So anyway I got MY lawyer(my husband's brother LOL) to write her lawyer a letter and then I just submitted it to my insurance.
Oh it makes my blood boil even 14 years later! LOL

 

[Honu]

I work in insurance claims and handle all our legal files. If you go through your own ins. most will go to the end of the earth to get your money back. It may take a while, but they will send these people to collections and ruin their credit if they don't pay. If you file a small claims court and they refuse to pay, if the judge rules in your favor and gives them a judgement that judgement will hunt them until they settle it.... It never just goes away when you get an large insurance company or court system in the mix.

Your insurance company doesn't want to pay for this any more than you do. Let them recoup it for you, and themselves. I've done it and it didn't increase my premium.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

call the cops asap dawn
we had something similiar happen when we went to wdw in dec
the car was at my paretns house
the neighbors had a party and a kid kicked my door my dad called the cops
the damage is over 900 and the neighbor would not give the kids name who did it
now we are tangled in a big fight with them it is crazy

 

[momof2inPA]

Judge Judy always works these cases out fairly