First time, minor accidental scratch to another car. Please help?

Question

I was backing out at a parking lot, very slowly and hit the back of another car. very very minor scratch to the other car. Almost nothing to mine. I decided to pay for it out of my own pocket. The lady of the other car called me to tell me it would be around $850 to fix the scratch and I told her to go ahead and get it fixed and that I would pay for it. Today she called again and said that she noticed a crack on her windshield (she had not noticed it before) and that she may need to get the windshield replaced. I am afraid she is cheating me. What should I do?

Answer 1

I am a physical damage adjuster with a large national insurance company and I can tell you right now that there is no way the windshield cracked from a minor bumper to the bumper.  Most cars (you did not specify what vehicle the other party has) have to meet US government crash ratings and bumpers are to withstand an impact of 8mph.  Not only that, but windshields are structural components of unibody vehicles and by nature have a lot of strength built into them.  Chances are if you look really hard, you will find a stone chip in the glass that the crack has walked out from.  Also, in my experience, $850 is a lot to repair a bumper.  A 2.0 repair, with overhaul and paint/materials usually runs about $600-$700 unless it is a 3-stage paint and then can run more.  I would flat out tell her the glass damage has nothing to do with the loss and to file a comprehensive claim with her carrier as you have lived up to your obligation that you where liable for, which was the bumper damage.  You probably should have turned the claim into your carrier, as most parking lot accidents have negligence on both parties and there would have been a split in the liability.

Answer 2

Tell her you want to see a receipt from the repair shop for the damage you did. Regarding the windshield...tell her to p**s off. That wasn't your doing. If she argues on either point...don't give her a dime.

Answer 3

h**l no, if you hit her bumper tell her to shove it, that would not make the windshield crack. unless you plowed into the back and she hit her head on the windshield, shes trying to get you to pay for an already cracked windshield. 850 to fix a scratch is bullshit in the first place, unless it was like a gash

Answer 4

This is why you have insurance! Don't try to deal with her.

Answer 5

it's not rocket science my friend= she already got ya for $850.00, but you were wrong and admitted guilt, and paid= Now the windshield = ya need Sherlock Holmes for that one or Colombo= Now i don't know what state your in but i think this money grubbing driver has up to a year to find some kind if injury to maybe get more money for pain and suffering from a no damage accident== But you did pay and admitted guilt = maybe you should have let your insurance provider handle it= and you still can but it might cost you your deductible == you could try to reason with her, but i have a theory on that== Shop around find the cheapest place you can find, tell her i recommended them=then pay for it and get a sign off from her before she comes out of her coma and sees the money possibilities== next thing you know her cigarette stops working, you know that happens a lot when windshields crack== Oh but her neck pain= get a sign off and do it sweepingly as you are broke= your getting off easy = or see her in court= but ya see you already addmited guilty= get her off your back asap=

Answer 6

Well NUMBER 1. There a people out there that are scammers.. I'd make her prove it all, before I agreed to send em any more money.. What you should of done is went to the police station and filed it as an accident.. DOn't about there but here you have a certian amount of time to file that and if not they can arrest you for it..

NEVER EVER PAY someone like that... you'll get burned... GET PROOF

GOOD LUCk

Answer 7

I think you should contact your insurance company and explain there was very minimal damage and let them take care of it....

sounds like this person is trying to take advantage of you.... it doesn't cost that much to get a scratch fixed and you certainly didn't do any damage to the windshield.

Tell her you are contacting your insurance and she'll probably back off.