I Need Some Advice About An Accident

[thehails9928]

I in October last year parked my car in a parking bay our side a village shop. it was night time and as we all know lighting in villages can be quite poor. When my family were in the car i looked around and reversed my car out of my space, i then felt a small bump. I pulled up my hand brake and got out of my car. i realise that a car had parked on the road which was poorly lit and very close to the junction of the road. the woman had left the passenger in the car and there was no hazard lights on. the woman then came out of the shop. we spoke for a few minutes and swapped details. my son who is 6 turned around to her and said "what a silly place to park" as an innocent child would. she said to us "its fine its hardly a bump i know someone that will just pop that out of the door for next to nothing. the bump was very small on the driver door. We then parted ways. I did not hear from her for a few weeks then i received a text, i need o get my car fixed and i want £300 cash from you. i text her back saying if you email me a picture of the damage i will then get other quotes as that is a very high quote can you email it to me. she then said that was the cheapest she has found. we gave her the name of a mechanic that we know, i also asked her if she is sure she wanted to do this being so close to xmas or do it after. i then didnt hear from her. Mid january i received a text saying i need to sort the car now. i text back saying i am still waiting for the photos and the original quote you have received, i also just wanted to make sure she didnt think i was paying for the whole repair as i feel she was the one at fault for parking her car on a poorly lit street behind parking spaces and near a junction with out hazards on. she then said i had admitted it was my fault which i hadnt i was in shock more than anything on the day at why someone would have parked there i also had only been driving a year so was definatley upset that it had happened. she has today 20.2.13 text me saying that she wants the money to get the car done. i have repeatedly asked for the photo and original quote and the reply i have got is my camera is broke. i have also explained to her via text that she has always asked me for cash too, and no one in their right mind would just hand cash out like that. she is now saying that the car will be a write off if she goes through the insurance. its all very confusing information and very patronising text messages starting my dear or Mam. she wont give me an email address everything is via text and she still has not provided any pictures. i suppose what im saying is shall i say to her just go through the insurance or am i at fault and should i pay.

[factor-fiction]

I may need to read this a few more times before I can get back to you, but I think it may be best to use your insurance company. You'd have to declare it any way (in theory)

[SlackAlice]

Pass it on to your Insurance company, thats why you pay insurance. Text her back and give her your insurance details and policy no, and tell her all further correspondence must be to the insurance co.

Beside the point that she parked in a poor position, you collided with her vehicle.

[murraymints]

Give her your insurance details. And do NOT enter into any further correspondence.......she may just disappear...sounds to me like she's trying it on...

[Baldric]

If I read this correctly you reversed into a parked / stationary vehicle.

[bednobs]

of course you are at fault - if a child was walking behind your car, would you accuse them of not having their hazard lights on if you drove into them ?? it is absolutely up to you to make sure your way is clear, and if you can't see it is - don't go. SHE didn't drive into you, YOU drove into her.
Your only problem now is that you have to pay, and how you do that is up to you. If you are worried she's trying it on, then just pay the garage direct or go thru your insurance (although they will most probably ask you why you didn't report the accident to them LAST YEAR when it happened).

[rojash]

As Baldric says, it seems that you revered into a stationary vehicle. You say the lighting was poor - does your car not have reversing lights? Report it to your insurers, and give her the details of your insurance.

[Canary42]

It's very suspicious that she only communicated by text - are you sure it's her ?

The "nice person" may have popped it out for her free of charge and someone else (or even the "nice person") got to know about it and is trying to make a few quid out of it.

Insist on written communication before you will even consider taking it any further.

But I'm afraid you are fully liable for the damage.

[Eve]

I had similar thoughts to Canary, does the language used in the text fit with the woman you met?

[bundleone]

Although you are at fault it's possible she is not insured so does not want to report it.

[boxtops]

I would have reported it to my insurance company - even though it's late - you are under an obligation to tell them if you are involved in any incident which might give rise to to a claim. Tell them now. Stop responding to her texts, and put a report into your insurers. If you have got her name and address, it's then up to her to contact your insurance company.

[DangerUXD]

It's your fault 100%, just give her your insurance details and be done with it.

[joko]

yes, just tell her you will not be just handing her cash and tell her to deal with it through insurance company... you will probably not hear from her again

however - as others have said - you are absolutely 100% at fault here - she was parked up, you hit her - your fault!

all your so-called 'mitigating circumstances' and anecdotes from a 6 year old are irrelevant and meaningless.

as someone else said - what if that had been a person? or a dog?
if you cannot see, you dont just barge out anyway and hope for the best, and then blame a stationary vehicle for getting in your way!

[Skyline D]

Nothing much to add to this that hasn't already been said. You reversed into a stationary car. You are absolutely 100% at fault. The other driver has no blame.

However, the behaviour asking for money is suspicious and I would have nothing more to do with it if I were you. I'd give it to my insurance company to deal with. That is what you have car insurance for. If you would rather pay her cash and hope she goes away without affecting your insurance premiums that is your choice to make though.

[TheGrump]

She has gone from a small dent in a door that should pop out, to tthe car will be a write off.
That implies to me that her car was not worth much to start with, and therefore sounds like she wants a few quid to keep it quiet.
I would inform your insurance company, let them deal with it. That is what you pay them for. I would also take a wild guess that the small dent in a door becomes a very large dent, just my suspicious nature.

[Blymey]

It sounds like you may be declared 'At Fault'. Your vehicle was the one moving at the time. Unless she was on a no parking zone or too close to the intersection.
If you inform your insurance, her insurer will also be involved and charge her an excess. It sounds like her excess is very high, otherwise, she would just put the claim in.
Turn the tables and threaten to call your insurer to do things legitimately, see what her reaction is. She may decide to cut her losses and go 50/50 with you.
You can inform your insurer but not actually put the claim in, they will only act on your behalf if you instruct them too. Also, if you think the other car was breaking any traffic laws, go to the police and get an incident number.