I rear-ended someone in a drive thru i need some advice?

Question

I rear ended someone but the only car that was damaged was mine, it wasent a hard hit my car is older and sometimes when you pull forward slowly it jumps and thats what it did. They were in a big van with one of those big spare tires on the back of it and it had some hand painted stuff on the cover of it. My car only hit that spare tire going like 2 miles an hour so the spare tire on the back of there van broke my headlight and made a small dent above the light, we both got out and he said oh it didnt do anything to my van your car is the only one damaged and said do you want to do anything cause I dont and I said ok and we got back in our cars, they pull out of the drive through parked and asked me to come over there and showed me that there was some paint scuffed off the cover I couldnt see what he was talking about he wanted me to pay for the cover and i said youll have to talk to my husband and gave him the cell number. what should I do theres no info exchanged and he wants

Answer 1

if confused.. what are you asking?

No matter how minor the damage.. you caused it.. therefore you owe for it.  You dont just magically become not responsible b/c its minor.

You have two choices- either notify your insurance and have them take care of it ( i strongly recommend this) or pay it out of pocket.  Keep in mind if you pay out of pocket you will owe them a rental as well while the paint is being touched up.

I dont understand why people try to get out of paying for repairs... dont you have any sort of morals and a conscious?   This car may be all these people have.. they deserve to not have that scuff.  Your insurance companies are professionals and will only pay what they owe and not anymore..

Answer 2

What this van owner is doing could become extortion. Unless they want  $50 or something and they'll go away, don't deal with them. Let them contact your insurance company. If you do pay them money, have them sign a paper that states something to this effect: "by accepting payment in the amount of $x, I "van owner name" agree to forfeit all rights to any future claims for damage or injury related to this incident. Make sure you both have signed copies, and have the signatures witnessed, or better yet, notarized.

Answer 3

Call your insurance, tell them the situation, get a claim number.  Call the other party back, give them the claim number and have them contact your insurance.  Chances are they won't, but if they do your insurance will send an adjuster out to look at their 'damage' and pay accordingly.  That will get you off the hook, and that's the reason you have insurance.  

By the way, it's not normal for a car to jump forward.  You need to have that looked at.

Answer 4

you can go to a car dealer like if he has a kia go to a kia dealer and they have little bottles of touch up paint for like 10 bucks if paint if his prob just get one of those

and with you head light go to a junkyard and get a new one its like 20 bucks at most

Answer 5

if they call you (or your husband) tell them to get 3 estimates for repairs and/or for the cost of replacement of the cover. when you pay them use a bank check with a notation on the check that it's payment in full for repairs caused by an accident on xx/xx/xxxx.  make copies of everything and keep them in a file.  the simple fact is you hit their car you are responsible for any damages. doesn't sound like it's going to be too much though.

Answer 6

Paying out of pocket can sometimes lead to difficulties in the end.  He may keep coming back, but that's chance you take.

You pay a premium for insurance year after year, some people never use it.  What's he asking for and your gut feeling about the type of person he is.  Is someone going to claim an injury after the fact?

Judgement call!

Answer 7

it's on record as you said you were in a drive thru, there was a camera, also you admit hitting him, you are responsible...Consider the fact that they could claim injury later... I would graciously pay what he wants and have him sign a statement saying that there is no further claim for damage or injury and that the set amount is total and complete compensation for the incident dated and signed by him, getting it notarized at your bank would be better, just a suggestion...

It sounds as if they are looking to get paid...

You hit them, you have to pay.. Next time be more careful... Good Luck

Answer 8

You broke it, you bought it. Seriously, do you need someone to tell you that?

I'd be shocked if there was a jurisdiction somewhere that DIDN'T create a obligation to exchange information after you collide.

Answer 9

If you drive in to the back of him, you are liable, and if he is claiming damage, you cannot refuse to let him claim against you. If there is any doubt whatsoever that you have caused the damage, settle it through your insurer rather than pay cash. If you give him cash, you have no comeback, and he could keep coming back saying he has found more damage and asking for more money. With an insurer, it is all on record, and the insurer will send an engineer to inspect his vehicle, so if you didn't do the damage, the insurer will be able to tell and wont pay him.

I would also get your own car checked out. If it is moving forward on it's own, it shouldn't really be on the road until it is made safe. You are putting yourself at risk of getting a fine if you drive it with mechanical faults.

Answer 10

Tell him to call your insurance company if you don't want to pay him off. Then you call your insurance company first and tell them the story.

This is why you have insurance. What if he tells you he had Rembrant paint the mural on the tire cover and he wants $1000?