Involved in a Hit and Run

[metalmoses]

I'll try and make it as short as possible... This is the second time that I've been involved in a hit and run in my FR-S. I was sitting at a red light minding my own business, and got hit in the right rear. As I called 911, the driver that hit me started backing up into the parking lot to hide his license plate. He slipped out the side exit and left. Luckily a friend of mine I work with was about 8 cars back in traffic. I called him and asked him to tail the guy and get his plate. He was able to catch up to him and write down his plate number. I hope they track him down, the shoe store he turned around in had 2 external CCTV cameras, so if they were running they should easily have his vehicle and plate on the footage. I have to pay $500 out of pocket for my deductible, the car is going into the shop on Monday. The rear bumper cover is punctured in multiple spots, it will likely be replaced. My right rear tail light is no longer centered so something is bent. My right rear quarter panel has some ripples above the wheel/tire. Hopefully it'll just take some PDR work. Be safe out there guys.









Here's an aerial view of where I was sitting in traffic at the red light when the guy blatantly just ran into me.

[Kimsey47]

Sorry to hear that... My BRZ was hit earlier this year by a similar piece of dog $#!+ so I hope they can get this piece of trash!

[OND]

That sucks man, at least the f****er wont get away with it. Kudos to your friend

[humfrz]

I'm glad you are OK.

Sounds like your car didn't do as well (the pictures are just Xs for my computer)

Hopefully, they will track the dude down and make him/her (or his/her insurance) pay .... if he/she has any.


humfrz

[metalmoses]

Originally Posted by humfrz

I'm glad you are OK.

Sounds like your car didn't do as well (the pictures are just Xs for my computer)

Hopefully, they will track the dude down and make him/her (or his/her insurance) pay .... if he/she has any.


humfrz

Sorry about that, I just uploaded to a different host, hopefully you can see them now

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by metalmoses

Sorry about that, I just uploaded to a different host, hopefully you can see them now

Yep they do.
Sucks!

[Braces]

Nothing lower than hit and run. Damage to your car is one thing, but not to check to see if you are okay is lower than low.

[Yardjass]

Wait, so you got the plate? Send the plate to your insurance company and have an adjuster look at the car to start the process. If you know who did it, the insurance will go after them and you shouldn't have to pay anything.

[daiheadjai]

Hmmm... if the guy was crazy enough to run, don't be surprised if it comes back stolen...
Or am I giving human intelligence too much credit?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by daiheadjai

Hmmm... if the guy was crazy enough to run, don't be surprised if it comes back stolen...
Or am I giving human intelligence too much credit?

Or uninsured.

[metalmoses]

Originally Posted by Yardjass

Wait, so you got the plate? Send the plate to your insurance company and have an adjuster look at the car to start the process. If you know who did it, the insurance will go after them and you shouldn't have to pay anything.

A co-worker of mine who was about 8-10 car lengths behind me did not directly see the accident occur. But Passed me shortly after the light turned green. After I reported the accident to the police he called and asked me if I was alright. I told him the other guy left the scene, and he volunteered to turn around and look for the other vehicle. He was able to find the Dark Blue late model Cadillac Escalade with a Hispanic driver. It would be hard pressed to find too many of those vehicles with a Hispanic mail driver within a mile proximity of the accident. I did get the other plate number to my insurance (State Farm). Their investigator ran the plate and called the owner who the vehicle was registered to. They denied any involvement, which is to be expected if you leave the scene of an accident. Outside of the Police pulling the cameras from the nearby shoe store or Wal-Mart it'll be hard to prove this was the same vehicle that hit me in court. Hopefully I'll here back from the Police investigator on Monday this week.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by Yardjass

Wait, so you got the plate? Send the plate to your insurance company and have an adjuster look at the car to start the process. If you know who did it, the insurance will go after them and you shouldn't have to pay anything.

I had an idiot run a red light and hit me. When I filed a claim with my insurer under my own comprehensive coverage, the way it was explained to me was that my insurance company would go after the other driver and/or her insurance company for the costs my insurance company incurred, and that they would also submit my claim for my deductible as a "courtesy" to me. However, they also said that if the other party refused to pay the deductible, I would still have to pay it and then sue the other driver myself to recover it. They would pay me what my policy required and would only fight for their own losses, and I would have to fight for the deductible myself.

So don't assume that you won't have to pay the deductible if it's not your fault. If that other driver is uninsured, it's likely you will have to pay it and try to get it back later.

[metalmoses]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

So don't assume that you won't have to pay the deductible if it's not your fault. If that other driver is uninsured, it's likely you will have to pay it and try to get it back later.

As of right now it sounds like I'll be stuck paying the full $500 deductible as they are telling me this falls under collision. That is unless they can prove the other driver did not have insurance, then it will fall under uninsured motorists and my deductible would be $250.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by metalmoses

As of right now it sounds like I'll be stuck paying the full $500 deductible as they are telling me this falls under collision. That is unless they can prove the other driver did not have insurance, then it will fall under uninsured motorists and my deductible would be $250.

If the other driver has insurance, what your insurer will probably do is file a claim with the other insurer's subrogation department to recoup what they pay out to you. When my insurer did that, they also filed a claim on my behalf to recoup my deductible. So if they don't bring that up, you can ask your claims manager if they'll do that. If not, you can file a separate claim with the other driver's insurance company for your deductible.

If the other insurance company won't pay it, or if the other driver doesn't have insurance, you can probably file a suit against the driver himself in small claims court. It might take a while to collect, but if you're persistent you will eventually get your money back.