Car accident friday 13 March 2015: Any Witnesses?

[tunesone]

Car Accident: Lordship Lane

Did any of you happen to be on Lordship Lane on Friday 13th at 9.54am and see a car accident? I was driving a gold mini in the Peckham direction and a white van pulled into the side of my car from the side road just before the police station. Luckily nobody was hurt but his insurance company are saying that I pulled into him!

If any of you did see this and are willing to let me have a short statement I would be grateful if you could email me on: [email protected].

Many thanks Shona

[Loz]

Of the two accidents I've ever had, both were quite obviously not my fault, but in both cases the other insurance company tried to say it was. I think it must be standard practice. The first, the other car ran a give way sign, but the company claimed that because I hit the back door I should have had time to stop/avoid the crash! The second, someone tried to pass me near KCH (single lane part) and turned into me as they had to avoid an oncoming car. This time, they tried to say I hit the other car.

In both cases I drew a very detailed map of what happened (I used Powerpoint) and, in the first incident, included photos of the junction showing the give way signs. Both times the other insurance company backed off.

A police report, if you did one, also helps. You should always do one, just to cover your backside should the other driver decide they've been injured. It's also another official document to wave at insurers.

I think insurance companies just try it on to test you. So even if you can't find a witness, ply them with as much detailed material as you can and you (cross fingers) should be OK.

[intexasatthe moment]

Absolutely agree with Loz . I was amazed after someone had reversed into the side of my car to get a letter accusing me of dangerous driving and trying to claim for additional existing damage on a different part of the car .

This was after I'd submitted drawn pictures .I just refuted their version and left my insurance company to argue with theirs and all was well .

It does seem to be standard practice ,but pretty shocking .

[tunesone]

Curious to learn this appears to be a standard tactic from the insurers! I am at the drawing the incident stage and although I have a string of text messages from the other driver admitting liability, apparently that does not have any sway with the insurers!

I will go and take some photos of the road and junction which is a very good idea - thank you for your advice.

[simonethebeaver]

I'm surprised that doesn't have any effect on the insurers. My insurance company told me off massively when I drove into the back of a car for having apologised at the time, as it supposedly meant they couldn't argue blame. Never mind that I couldn't really see how they could argue it wasn't my fault, given that I'd rear-ended the other car because my brakes had failed, they had intended to try.

Years ago I was in an accident in which someone had tried to overtake me on a mini-roundabout as I went straight ahead, having moved themselves from a left turn only lane. They claimed it was my fault. My insurer was actually going to concede fault until THEIR insurance people went to the site, saw the road layout, and admitted liability for their client. The whole system is bonkers!

[Blah Blah]

Stand your ground tunesone. You had right of way. He came out of a side road where he is supposed to give way and only advance if clear to do so. In no way can that be considered your fault. They will give in. It's just a case of at what stage. Your insurer should be fighting this for you anyway, that's one reason why you pay for insurance in the first place.

[peckhamside]

I as woken one night by a crashing sound and saw a car pulling away at speed, the back of a neighbours vehicle was stoved in.

The next morning I found a bumper with number plate (of the vehicle that had sped off in the road).

The neighbours insurance company told me the driver denied causing the damage, saying his car was damaged because he ran into a nearby post box, which was without a scratch!!

[jim_the_chin]

If there's dispute over where the fault lies doesn't that mean that both parties have to pay excess?

[Blah Blah]

There's a thing called knock for knock.

[spark67]

I was involved in an accident a few years ago where a lady was on the wrong side of the road and hit my car head on...Luckily no injuries, But her insurers tried to claim there were cars parked on both sides of the road & we were both passing down the centre and that I should have given way.

This was not the case, my side of the road was clear, there were double yellow lines on my side of the road, and off road parking her side, she said she was looking for a house number and didn't realise she had strayed into my side of the road at the time to me.

I took pictures of the road to illustrate this, but it still went for knock for knock and my no claims was lost.

Do not give up on finding a witness though, One eventually came forward 2 years later through my network of friends (long story, and this already too long)

My no claims was reinstated and I received compensation for extra money I had to pay out on insurance due to this.

Don't give up and hopefully someone will come forward.

[Blah Blah]

You can also now get dashboard cameras for cars. Might be worth getting one of those in case of accident. Then you will have proof of who was at fault. They are not expensive.

[MissWiggy]

The text messages admitting liability absolutely do count. If this ends up going to court (which is what happens if insurance companies can't agree blame and damages / compensation) the judge will be very interested to see texts from the others river admitting it's his fault so they should definitely pay some attention to them now as they are an excellent indicator of where the other driver thought the fault lay at the time of the accident.

Good luck!

[JohnL]

MissWiggy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The text messages admitting liability absolutely

> do count. If this ends up going to court (which is

> what happens if insurance companies can't agree

> blame and damages / compensation) the judge will

> be very interested to see texts from the others

> river admitting it's his fault so they should

> definitely pay some attention to them now as they

> are an excellent indicator of where the other

> driver thought the fault lay at the time of the

> accident.

>

> Good luck!

It always used to be that the insurers (not wanting court costs)

had agreements with each other (you take this one, we take the next)

- that might sound like a cartel - so maybe gone.

[tunesone]

Dear All,

Thank you for all your helpful comments. A few photographs and a detailed plan of the incident later and the van driver's insurance have admitted liability. My garage pushed to get the liability admission and all I had to do was notify my insurance company of the accident.

I think the main issue I have learned from all of this is that I need to get a witness if anything ever happens again.

Many thanks for all your input,

Shona

[MissWiggy]

Fantastic news tunesone!

[dimples]

Great news :)

[midivydale]

So pleased to hear this! Last year I was involved in an accident that could have ended v badly. i came out of PR park and turned right towards nunhead. As i had completed the turn i was hit from behind by a reversing delivery van, on the wrong side of the road. It was awful, he ran into the side of the car where my son was hit and I couldnt get him out. I was so shaken, I couldnt get the door open to get him out.

My insurance company tried to tell me it was a dual liability claim and i could just not accept this. In the end, the other insurer did admit liability and all was well but we have spent about 6 mnths to get our money back. Appalling service.

[Blah Blah]

That's awful midi and it does seem as though insurers try it on in the hope they get away with liability. The message to me seems to be that if your fight your corner, they cave in.