An accident.

[Mr. P]

Okay so now what would you do?

Here are the details…..

My daughter was rear ended on Monday. The damage is pretty minor by sight, but requires the entire bumper to be removed repaired and repainted. Cost estimate $580. if there is no hidden damage (I don’t think there is). This car is just 2 months old.

Now here’s my dilemma….In brief….

I’d like to offer the guy the opportunity to pay for repairs without involving his insurance Co. so his rates don’t increase, he’s 72 years old. The problem is he has had several of these accidents. Maybe he should hang-up the keys?

I’d like to help this guy out…but, I’m torn…What do you folks think: Turn it in to his insurance or approach him about the repair cost and let him decide?

PS...I'm leaning one way...

 

[5stringJeff]

I'd offer to let him do it under the table. Just make sure that you've identified all the damages first. If there was a tactful way to tell him that he ought to find his way to a defensive driving or "driving for seniors" class, I'd tell him that, too.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

Okay so now what would you do?

Here are the details…..

My daughter was rear ended on Monday. The damage is pretty minor by sight, but requires the entire bumper to be removed repaired and repainted. Cost estimate $580. if there is no hidden damage (I don’t think there is). This car is just 2 months old.

Now here’s my dilemma….In brief….

I’d like to offer the guy the opportunity to pay for repairs without involving his insurance Co. so his rates don’t increase, he’s 72 years old. The problem is he has had several of these accidents. Maybe he should hang-up the keys?

I’d like to help this guy out…but, I’m torn…What do you folks think: Turn it in to his insurance or approach him about the repair cost and let him decide?

PS...I'm leaning one way...

Did he get a ticket from the accident?

 

[GotZoom]

Get a couple of estimates from where YOU want the work done and show them to him.

If he wants to pay, so be it.

If not, insurance.

Through the course of all this, you might end up talking to a spouse or son/daughter/in-law. Once everything is done and paid for, I would mention it to one of them.

 

[Mr. P]

I'd offer to let him do it under the table. Just make sure that you've identified all the damages first. If there was a tactful way to tell him that he ought to find his way to a defensive driving or "driving for seniors" class, I'd tell him that, too.

Thanks Jeff. I was thinking if he agreed to pay that would be okay. If more damage shows up during repair we could always go to insurance then.

I still don't know which way I'm going..much will be decided when/if I contact him. He may not agree, who knows.

 

[Mr. P]

Did he get a ticket from the accident?

Daughter says she never saw the cop give the guy a ticket. However, the accident report does fault him for following to close, even though she was stopped (must be the standard charge for rear end stuff). It was clearly his fault. I'm not concerned with that being an issue.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

Daughter says she never saw the cop give the guy a ticket. However, the accident report does fault him for following to close, even though she was stopped (must be the standard charge for rear end stuff). It was clearly his fault. I'm not concerned with that being an issue.

Well, I think someone needs to know he's been hitting things, so if he didn't get any ticket or anything, I might be more inclined to report it to his insurance. Otherwise he'll just keep running around hitting things. You did say he's had a history of doing this, right?

 

[Mr. P]

Get a couple of estimates from where YOU want the work done and show them to him.

If he wants to pay, so be it.

If not, insurance.

Through the course of all this, you might end up talking to a spouse or son/daughter/in-law. Once everything is done and paid for, I would mention it to one of them.

That's a tuff one! But not impossable.

 

[Mr. P]

Well, I think someone needs to know he's been hitting things, so if he didn't get any ticket or anything, I might be more inclined to report it to his insurance. Otherwise he'll just keep running around hitting things. You did say he's had a history of doing this, right?

Yes, and my daughter told me the front end of his suv was banged-up pretty good, but not from this accident. She also told me he was telling the cop, this was not his FIRST rear ender.

 

[Annie]

Daughter says she never saw the cop give the guy a ticket. However, the accident report does fault him for following to close, even though she was stopped (must be the standard charge for rear end stuff). It was clearly his fault. I'm not concerned with that being an issue.

I don't know if it's 'universal' or not, but having worked for State Farm for a few years, I know in Illinois that if you rear end someone, you are 100% at fault.

 

[Mr. P]

I don't know if it's 'universal' or not, but having worked for State Farm for a few years, I know in Illinois that if you rear end someone, you are 100% at fault.

It is here too, K.

 

[manu1959]

i tried to be a nice guy once....dudes check bounced and I never saw them again.....i let the insurance companies sort them out

 

[The ClayTaurus]

I don't know if it's 'universal' or not, but having worked for State Farm for a few years, I know in Illinois that if you rear end someone, you are 100% at fault.

Really? I thought if I cut in front of a car and they couldnt' avoid hitting me, that'd be my fault? Seems like I could have some fun with insurance fraud if that's the case...

 

[Annie]

Really? I thought if I cut in front of a car and they couldnt' avoid hitting me, that'd be my fault? Seems like I could have some fun with insurance fraud if that's the case...

Nope, when going 'forward' one must leave enough 'stopping' distance. Now, if somehow you managed to ring up a number of 'victim' of rear endings, they'd get ya!

 

[Mr. P]

i tried to be a nice guy once....dudes check bounced and I never saw them again.....i let the insurance companies sort them out

Yeah, I'd make him deal with the repair shop directly...but you have a point, even if he agrees then backs out it's still not HIS car they repaired. I see a court case in the making trying to be a good guy..Geeezzzz

 

[The ClayTaurus]

Nope, when going 'forward' one must leave enough 'stopping' distance. Now, if somehow you managed to ring up a number of 'victim' of rear endings, they'd get ya!

What if, on the freeway, you're traveling 65 mph and a car disobeys a yield sign and just merges infront of you, and you can't swerve to either side because of traffic?

Or what about that swoop and squat scam, where a car pulls next to you intentionally blocking you in, and then another car comes, cuts you off and slams the breaks right as they come in front of you? I know 95% of the time it's your fault, but I know there has to be some exceptions... that's too open for fraud.

 

[Annie]

What if, on the freeway, you're traveling 65 mph and a car disobeys a yield sign and just merges infront of you, and you can't swerve to either side because of traffic?

Or what about that swoop and squat scam, where a car pulls next to you intentionally blocking you in, and then another car comes, cuts you off and slams the breaks right as they come in front of you? I know 95% of the time it's your fault, but I know there has to be some exceptions... that's too open for fraud.

'You' are supposed to be aware of your surroundings and drive defensively. Don't you watch the idiots coming off a ramp? Don't you assume you are surrounded by idiots?

 

[Dan]

Mr. P, honestly, it sounds to me like this guy either needs a wake-up call or needs to hang up the keys. I'd say do it through the insurance company, but that's just me.

 

[Trigg]

I don't know if it's 'universal' or not, but having worked for State Farm for a few years, I know in Illinois that if you rear end someone, you are 100% at fault.

This isn't always the case in my state. They take into consideration the fault of the person if front, ex: pulling out from a side street or slamming on your brakes.

 

[Mr. P]

What if, on the freeway, you're traveling 65 mph and a car disobeys a yield sign and just merges infront of you, and you can't swerve to either side because of traffic?

...

Merging traffic does not have the right of way....although they drive like they do. That's here, anyway.