Was i at fault?

Question

i was driving on a small street near my house. there was a car ahead of me driving really slow.then he just stopped in the middle of the street.he had no turning signal on and there was no stop sign/light.i stopped behind him then went around him on the left side.just as i went around him,he turned and i hit him .my car has hardly any damage.his has more then mine.now his insurance company wants 1500.00.wtf?

Answer 1

Um... not 100% sure but I think it's his fault. He didn't use his blinker, and it was dumb of him not to look when turning.

Answer 2

In most states, you both are going to be partially at-fault, but you will probably be found to have the "majority" of negligence.

The problem is that drivers are too impatient. As the trailing vehicle you have a duty to let the vehicle in front of you "make their move." When he stopped, legally you should have stopped behind them at a safe distance and let them do whatever they wanted to do. The vehicle in front has the right to take whatever action they want to without interference from the trailing vehicle. You violated his right of way by traveling into area he was going to turn into. You had the best chance of avoiding an accident by remaining patient and letting him clear the roadway. Trust me, very few people bother doing this.  

On the other hand, he should have used his signal or better yet pulled off to the side to let you pass then they could take all day to figure out what they wanted to do. Most states also have laws that it is illegal to turn a vehicle unless it is clear to do so.

Depending on what part of the car you hit him I would think you are 60 to 80% at-fault, but not 100% at-fault.

If you haven't already done so, report this to your insurance and they will deal with it. If you don't have insurance then try to settle with the other company. In most states if you are at-fault and don't have insurance you can lose your drivers license and get sued by the other company, which will only add more money to what you owe.

Good Luck

Answer 3

Doesn't matter whether he stopped or not, he still has possession of the highway.  These types of streets are not made for passing and it shouldn't be done...et al...your accident.

Answer 4

Fault is determined by police and/or insurance companies, based on fact and law.  If you have insurance (I hope you do), report this to your insurance company and let the two insurance companies battle it out and determine "fault".  Opinions here as to whose "fault it may have been are all irrelevant.

Answer 5

At least in my state any time you rear end some one in an accident you are at fault.- I personally hate people the slam on brakes to turn with no blinkers it drives me nuts.

Answer 6

Did you explain what happened to the police? It sounds like you were unsure what his intentions were and proceeded with caution. I would have your insurance fight it out for you to have the other guy  pay for your damage.