Damn liars...

[Eric the Grey]

I was involved in a car accident yesterday. I waited at a red light, until it turned green (green left arrow), and I went through the light.

The van who hit me ran his red light, hitting my rear axel and completely dislodging it from the drive train. Needless to say, my truck is not drivable, and I'm holding my breath waiting for the determination from my insurance company as to whether they'll fix it or total it out.

Physically, I'm fine. My shoulder hurts just a bit from where I was thrown against the door of my truck (which dented it enough to not allow the window to go up or down without some muscle help).

Trouble is, the guy who ran the light and hit me says he had a green light, and nobody stopped to talk to the police and let them know what happened, so hit's his word against mine. :rant:

So, unless someone comes forward to the police, I'm out my deductible and my insurance will probably go up.

In the meantime, it's a good thing I bought the scooter, so at least I'm not on foot, but it makes it difficult to go places that are any real distance away, like my GF's place...


:rant: Eric the Grey

[McGoddess09]

That's guy's a dumbass. Try to fight this as much as you can. Try not to let this guy get away with that. Look for some type of damage that could only happen if the other person was stupid.

I really hate those dumb drivers. :rant:

[Gawdzillers]

Yeah, just because you're following all the road rules doesn't make you invincible.

[blas]

Here's a thought....do the stoplights in your city have cameras in them? There may be a way the police can backtrack it and prove you are right and the other driver is lying.

Edit to add: I was in an accident one week ago. I was at fault. It's SO much easier when you just admit you're at fault, as embarrassing and dumb as you may feel. If my suggestion proves to work and they can prove the other guy is lying, he will be in SO MUCH more trouble. He can then be charged with obstructing an officer, etc etc.

[Listerfiend]

The only major accident I was in was extremely similar to the OP's. I was turning left; now, I didn't have an arrow, but it was green and so I took the first opportunity to turn. Trouble is, a big-ass truck was parked on the corner, obstructing my view of a guy who was going through the red light (turning right). We collided (my Beetle had minor wounds, my his Explorer was in baaad shape); we both told the cops the same exact story, which they thought was uncanny (talked to them separately, so it's not like we were both there in front of the same cop), and they determined that no one was at fault. HOWEVER when the guy reported to his insurance company he told them a different story, and I was placed at fault. The kicker is that there was definitely something wrong with the guy's vision--when we exchanged information I clearly wrote my name in all caps-- ALLISON--followed by middle initial and last name, all in caps as well. When the insurance people called to contact me they asked for "Alan My-middle-and-last-name-squished-together." Ugh. I hate that I was blamed just because I was turning left, when the guy was having issues.

[BookstoreEscapee]

HOWEVER when the guy reported to his insurance company he told them a different story, and I was placed at fault.

Didn't you have a police report? When I was in my accident I went to the police station the next week to get a copy of the report and sent it to the insurance company. (Though I was rear-ended while waiting to make a left turn, so there was no question of whose fault it was.)

[Rine]

I had the same thing (well, almost) happen to me!

A while back, I was run off the road by a pizza driver who was driving on the wrong side of the road. My car sustained only minor damage (finally rounded out to about $200 in damages). We had a police report filed and Domino's admitted that she did it.

Made the insurance claim and then I just got a letter about it two weeks ago simply stating "our insured said she did not run anyone off the road." And they said they wouldn't be paying. Pissed me off.

Since I didn't have witnesses, it was my word against hers. I have contacted her insurance company about the police report (where she admitted fault) and the fact that Domino's also apologized to me about it. But they haven't mailed me back.

My advice...just keep fighting it. I hate people that lie, especially about serious matters like this. I hope that guy gets caught in his lie and he'll be in trouble. I'm glad you are okay though and good luck.

[Eric the Grey]

Here's a thought....do the stoplights in your city have cameras in them? There may be a way the police can backtrack it and prove you are right and the other driver is lying.

Edit to add: I was in an accident one week ago. I was at fault. It's SO much easier when you just admit you're at fault, as embarrassing and dumb as you may feel. If my suggestion proves to work and they can prove the other guy is lying, he will be in SO MUCH more trouble. He can then be charged with obstructing an officer, etc etc.

Oh, I hope you're OK.

As for cameras, that was one of my first thoughts, but I can only find one at the lights on either side of this one, and the nearer of the two was out of service. I don't know if it will even show enough to be helpful.

Didn't you have a police report? When I was in my accident I went to the police station the next week to get a copy of the report and sent it to the insurance company. (Though I was rear-ended while waiting to make a left turn, so there was no question of whose fault it was.)

No, the police report is available the next day for a fee. My insurance is going to get hold of a copy for their investigation, but for me to get one would mean a very long trip via scooter unless I can borrow a car to do it. I may well ask, just because it would be nice to have a copy.

First: Glad you're not hurt. Most importantly is that you survived to tell the tale.

Thanks. That IS the best part of all this...

Second: Google "Accident report form" and your state. I would have done it for you except I don't know what state you're in and I'm not sure if the forms are the same or not. At any rate, I have the one for Massachusetts (http://www.mass.gov/rmv/forms/accident.htm) here. Or you could just stop by your local police station or RMV and they'll give you one.

I have a copy of the report form they gave us. It has all of his information on it, name address, phone and insurance and vehicle info, but that's all. We each filled it out and swapped them. He has all my info as well.

Third: When I got into an accident, the guy who inspected my car for the insurance company told me the damage on my car didn't seem typical of the kind of hit I was describing. It turned out for the good because they couldn't determine who was at fault, because it was the dude that hit me's word against mine. My insurance did NOT go up, but I did have to pay the deductible for the repairwork on my poor car.

I really hope that's not going to be the case, but I'm counting on worse case scenario...

Fourth: Take pictures of your car, and the site where the accident happened. Submit copies to your insurance company as well as a copy of the accident report to the police station, the RMV, and the insurance company. And keep a copy for yourself too!

I have a couple of pictures of the damage, but I have to get them off my phone. It's not pretty.

Since I didn't have witnesses, it was my word against hers. I have contacted her insurance company about the police report (where she admitted fault) and the fact that Domino's also apologized to me about it. But they haven't mailed me back.

My advice...just keep fighting it. I hate people that lie, especially about serious matters like this. I hope that guy gets caught in his lie and he'll be in trouble. I'm glad you are okay though and good luck.

Sounds like at least you have a statement of guilt on record, which should play in your favor. Your insurance company will be interested in that, and will more than likely go after her if that is the case. They don't want to lose out on any money if they can help it. In my case, that hasn't happened.

I do plan to fight it, but I'm not terribly hopeful. :(


:cool: Eric the grey

[MadMike]

That sucks, dude. I was in an accident myself a couple years ago. I still don't know who hit me, because he sideswiped me and kept going. My car was totalled, and I was out $500 for the deductible.

What pisses me off more than anything is that he did that to me and got away with it. If they haven't found him in over 2 years, I don't think they will.

[protege]

At least you're still in one piece...

If there's one group of people I hate...I fucking hate liars. At least they can't weasel their way out of a rear-end collision. Doesn't matter if you stop suddenly--it's still their fault for either speeding or following too closely. Getting T-boned is another story.

Dad got hit like that back in '93, and got seriously fucked up. I mean, he was literally seeing stars, not to mention pulling shards of glass out of his hair for a bit...

He was pulling out of a parallel spot, when some old fool in a 1970s Pontiac drove into the side of his Tempo. He hit the Tempo so hard...he literally tossed it 40 feet :eek: down the street. Sideways. End result? Took out the driver's door, glass, both mirrors, bent the frame a bit (but not enough to total the car...meaning if the door wasn't locked, it sometimes flew open if you hit the brakes :eek:)

Anyway, when the car came to a halt, Dad's neck snapped back. Several witnesses thought he was dead :eek: When the cops came to clear the mess, the old fool actually blamed my father for it...since he "pulled out in front of him." Never mind that the old bastard was doing *70* in a fucking school zone!

It sucks that my father had to cough up the $500 deductible (which my family did *not* have at the time) because someone had to lie. I sure hope that bastard enjoys his tap dance in hell...

[Geek King]

Glad you're okay.

I have a couple of other ideas that might pan out. First, check around local stores/parking lots to see if they have a camera that might have caught the accident happening. Even with black and white cameras, you can tell which lights are lit if the camera happens to record them.

Second, you might try putting up signs near the intersection where the accident occurred. On the sign, just say you are looking for witnesses to come forward that might have seen the accident that happened on X date at Y time. Leave a contact number on the sign. Chances are some of the people that saw it use that intersection on a regular basis. Remember to take the postings down after about a week or two, and to check laws on such postings. Maybe ask the police officer who is handling the accident about the signs.

Good Luck!

[Eric the Grey]

Glad you're okay.

I have a couple of other ideas that might pan out. First, check around local stores/parking lots to see if they have a camera that might have caught the accident happening. Even with black and white cameras, you can tell which lights are lit if the camera happens to record them.

True. I had planned on going to the police department and check the area out on Monday (when I'll have a car to use) and see if anyone is around who may have seen something.

Signs, I don't know about. Many municipalities here in the Denver area don't allow postings, and they can be difficult to read from the road, but it may be worth a shot.

Thanks for the ideas.


:cool: Eric the Grey