car accident on private land

[finlayz]

my work car park is, I suppose, 'private land', there are signs everywhere relinquishing responsibility for theft, injuries, accidents etc.... however, tonight, a person i work with sped out of his parking place without looking and hit my car as I was pulling in to park, he is just starting a weeks holiday and was racing off the premises, I was driving slowly, looking to pull into a parking place, it was clearly his fault, he got out of the car and looked at mine, it's scratched and bumped, his was hardly marked, he just drove off! what's my position legally on this?

[woofgang]

Did you get his reg number and do you know who it was? I would be talking to your insurance company who will talk to his.

[finlayz]

yes, I know the person, I work with him (though we don't actually get on very well.)

[MASS1961]

Any CCTV to back you up?

[finlayz]

Yes, there is CCTv, I have asked someone at work to check it for me

[Prudie]

Just because your work may own the car park it doesn't make it devoid of normal traffic regulations. I'd treat it just the same as you would if it happened on a public road. Contact your insurance with all the details and let them pursue it.

[finlayz]

Thanks for your help so far people, will follow it up tomorrow

[Toureman]

As Prudie said treat it as you would on the highway.

If you report it to the police he could be prosecuted for leaving the scene of an accident or hit and run.

If other members of the public have access to the car park it is treated as it would be on a public road, and report it to your insurance so they can sort it out.

[Stargazer]

This is where Legal Cover might be useful. I often wonder each year if it is worth the extra premium.

[chas2008]

you are insured wherever you are....

[boxtops]

It's still negligence on his part, wherever it took place, he wasn't taking due care. Put it through your insurance company, they'll contact him direct.

[sigma]

with regard to the signs relinquishing responsibility, I thought these were illegal and had no legal standing as they were deemed as being an unfair term and condition of contract.

[espookid]

I once got out my car in a company car park and it didn't have the handbrake
on the insurance paid the other guy out

[EDDIE51]

Sigma the signs just refer to the company, if there is an accident the drivers are still responsible.

[Hopkirk]

Personally I would also report it to the company management.

You need to make sure the CCTV images are kept and not deleted, in case they become needed to prove culpability.

They may take a dim view of his actions in driving off.