Tweet
Alright, here goes, my 1994 trans am was damaged while parked about 8 months ago outside of a shopping mall. No information was left, and b/c I didn't have full coverage, I didn't fix the vehicle. It's obvious the damage is prior b/c of exposure to the elements
This last friday I was driving in the rain close to work, traveling uphill at about 25mph. I moved left to go around a vehicle parked on the street, and apparently so did an oncoming vehicle because we met in the center lane. She was moving left to clear a parked vehicle as well. We met in the middle head on, we both hit our brakes and slid into each other. We backed up and parked and determined no one was injured (it was a light hit, that was a formality) Her vehicle aslo had major prior damage. Her hood had been buckled previously (there was rust on the metal where the bends and creases in the hood were) and the right headlamp was zip tied in place. We looked at the damage and determined nothing major had resulted. A lot of paint was missing off of my bumper where it had flexed. I'm guessing most of that was due to previous exposure to the elements from the previous collision. Her left headlamp housing was cracked a little. I started to call the police and she asked me not to. I asked why, and she said b/c there wasn't really any damage to either vehicle, and that she was already late to pick her husband up. My car looked ok, so I said alright and was on my way.
Not 45 mins later her husband and her were standing outside my job site looking at my car. I walked out and introduced myself. Her husband said that the wreck was my fault said something about the car making a noise where the cam pulley was rubbing against the inner fender. (engine mounted sideways) I explained that there was no way we collided hard enough to cause that amount of damage. I again offered to call the police, but he said no. (I know I should have, I feel dumb for not doing it originally) I work at a body shop.....we restore vettes...and I'm still in school, so I have a lot to learn, but I offered to let him use a pry bar to try and push the inner fender out. I told him I didn't want to touch his vehicle b/c I did not want to be responsible for anything. After that I offered to help him zip tie the other headlight on where the mounting tab was broken. I offered to give him my information, but he declined. I didn't think any more about it.
I had some free time this weekend so I did my best to fix some of the damage where the paint had came off. I ended up just rattle canning some of the chips where paint was missing so it wont look so bad (I don't plan on keeping the car much longer b/c of gas prices, I want something more economical, so I didn't want to replace parts) Now, my mom was away for the weekend, when she got hom today and I explained what had happened she was furious. She said not calling the police was a bad idea b/c they can file a civil suit and say the driver of the other vehicle was hurt in the collision. I'm worried at this point. Without a police report....what happens in a situation like this?? i've provided as many details as possible to try to get an accurate response. Should I call the police now? I was told that since we both "fled the scene of an accident" that everyone pays for their own vehicle damages, but that has nothing to do w/ personal injury, is this true? Any advice, or am I making a big deal out of nothing? Thanks for putting up with my post, I'm really worried about this one. What should I do?? :-(
This last friday I was driving in the rain close to work, traveling uphill at about 25mph. I moved left to go around a vehicle parked on the street, and apparently so did an oncoming vehicle because we met in the center lane. She was moving left to clear a parked vehicle as well. We met in the middle head on, we both hit our brakes and slid into each other. We backed up and parked and determined no one was injured (it was a light hit, that was a formality) Her vehicle aslo had major prior damage. Her hood had been buckled previously (there was rust on the metal where the bends and creases in the hood were) and the right headlamp was zip tied in place. We looked at the damage and determined nothing major had resulted. A lot of paint was missing off of my bumper where it had flexed. I'm guessing most of that was due to previous exposure to the elements from the previous collision. Her left headlamp housing was cracked a little. I started to call the police and she asked me not to. I asked why, and she said b/c there wasn't really any damage to either vehicle, and that she was already late to pick her husband up. My car looked ok, so I said alright and was on my way.
Not 45 mins later her husband and her were standing outside my job site looking at my car. I walked out and introduced myself. Her husband said that the wreck was my fault said something about the car making a noise where the cam pulley was rubbing against the inner fender. (engine mounted sideways) I explained that there was no way we collided hard enough to cause that amount of damage. I again offered to call the police, but he said no. (I know I should have, I feel dumb for not doing it originally) I work at a body shop.....we restore vettes...and I'm still in school, so I have a lot to learn, but I offered to let him use a pry bar to try and push the inner fender out. I told him I didn't want to touch his vehicle b/c I did not want to be responsible for anything. After that I offered to help him zip tie the other headlight on where the mounting tab was broken. I offered to give him my information, but he declined. I didn't think any more about it.
I had some free time this weekend so I did my best to fix some of the damage where the paint had came off. I ended up just rattle canning some of the chips where paint was missing so it wont look so bad (I don't plan on keeping the car much longer b/c of gas prices, I want something more economical, so I didn't want to replace parts) Now, my mom was away for the weekend, when she got hom today and I explained what had happened she was furious. She said not calling the police was a bad idea b/c they can file a civil suit and say the driver of the other vehicle was hurt in the collision. I'm worried at this point. Without a police report....what happens in a situation like this?? i've provided as many details as possible to try to get an accurate response. Should I call the police now? I was told that since we both "fled the scene of an accident" that everyone pays for their own vehicle damages, but that has nothing to do w/ personal injury, is this true? Any advice, or am I making a big deal out of nothing? Thanks for putting up with my post, I'm really worried about this one. What should I do?? :-(
Comment