ErinD Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 I mentioned that I was in a minor car accident a little over a week ago. It was just one of those things.....I was pulling into a parking spot and the woman beside me opened her door into me without looking. I ran to make sure nobody was hurt - nobody was, except for my whiplash which I only found out about later- and the first thing she said to me was "It's my fault, sorry". I gave her a lift back to her house to get her camera (she lives closer to the store than me) along with her children. I phoned my insurance from her house and reported the accident with her sitting beside me. I drove them back to their car and waited with her in the parking lot until her mother arrived because she was clearly shaken up I had my insurance company phone her later that day while I was on the line and confirm what happened because she started acting strange towards the time I drove her back to her car and muttering to herself about other drivers. Both cars went to the same fixing/inspecting place, at the same time, to be inspected. I got mine back today. I also received a letter from my insurance company confirming that my liability in the accident is 0%. An hour ago, the woman phoned my house, screaming at me that I had changed my story to cause her problems, that I had "hurt her car", that I had been speeding and that she was going to send the photos I took for her on-site to her insurance company, yadayadayada. I stayed calm and refuted (politely) what she was saying. I also pointed out that the insurance adjusters had had the cars side by side at the repair shop. She finally screamed "you'll be paying for this!" and hung up. I don't know what to think. My husband's calling it "revisionist history". I have notified my insurance company of the call and the tone. Has anyone had something like this happen to them? I'm finding it really weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inmyopinion Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 This is more common than you think. Do not take her phone calls or have any contact with her, let your insurance company deal with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendag Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 It hasn't happened to me, but I have heard of it happening many times unfortunately. Sorry you have to go through it. Brenda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 That's nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 My girls were hit, no one hurt and 100% the other driver's fault. When it happened she was so upset, apologized all over herself, took full blame yada yada. Then she changed her story. We think she got home and her dh blasted her for being so honest ?? Didn't work though, there was just no way she could get around it. Even her own insurance company said her changed story did not make sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisamarie Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 I assume she found out what it was going to cost to fix her car and now wants to change her story so you have to pay for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 This is more common than you think. Do not take her phone calls or have any contact with her, let your insurance company deal with it. :iagree: Very common behavior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinD Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 Thanks for the replies! I was really caught by surprise; "nice" to know I'm not the only one who's had this kind of weirdness happen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 I assume she found out what it was going to cost to fix her car and now wants to change her story so you have to pay for it. This, exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Make sure your agent knows her first reply was admission of fault. I was in an accident many years ago, icy road, a driver hit me and flipped and went in the ditch. She had been speeding and she was all right, but her first words similar, "I'm sorry, it was my fault." Two years later when our insurance company had to take her to court to pay, she didn't have insurance, I had to testify to those words. It was the key evidence that sealed the case. The first rule of insurance is never admit fault at an accident scene. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinD Posted September 6, 2012 Author Share Posted September 6, 2012 Elegantlion, that's what so weird, I told them that she's admitted fault, on the initial phone call and while she listened in while she was sitting beside me, and she confirmed the same thing when my insurance agent phoned her. I just don't get what she hopes to accomplish now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 This is more common than you think. Do not take her phone calls or have any contact with her, let your insurance company deal with it. I assume she found out what it was going to cost to fix her car and now wants to change her story so you have to pay for it. :iagree: I'm sorry, people can be nasty. I hope she comes to her senses and doesn't drag this out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinD Posted September 6, 2012 Author Share Posted September 6, 2012 Thanks, kebg11. I don't really know what she could do at this point. The cars are repaired, the insurance companies are settling up. I have my letter already saying I was 0% at fault. It's just weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpoy85 Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Dh was in a small accident at work. They were both backing out of the parking lot and they both bumped into each other. They were going less than 25mph. There are scratches on the lady's bumper. No one was hurt or anything. DH has tried and tried and tried to be civil with the woman but she WONT budge or work with DH. He even offered her $200 towards fixing it- no go. Dh even had quotes saying how much it would be to fix her scratches- no go. Well she ended up taking DH to court to sue him. DH told the judge he offered $200 and brought the pictures of the scratches and the quotes....the judge ruled in her favor for $426+ court costs. They were suppose to settle a payment plan out together- she WOULDNT budge, so she filed garnishment against DH. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The point? Some people are just plain NASTY and rude. I told DH if i had to bet money- she is going to go to the cheapest repair place with DHs money and then take all the insurance money and pocket it. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Dh was in a small accident at work. They were both backing out of the parking lot and they both bumped into each other. They were going less than 25mph. There are scratches on the lady's bumper. No one was hurt or anything. DH has tried and tried and tried to be civil with the woman but she WONT budge or work with DH. He even offered her $200 towards fixing it- no go. Dh even had quotes saying how much it would be to fix her scratches- no go. Well she ended up taking DH to court to sue him. DH told the judge he offered $200 and brought the pictures of the scratches and the quotes....the judge ruled in her favor for $426+ court costs. They were suppose to settle a payment plan out together- she WOULDNT budge, so she filed garnishment against DH. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The point? Some people are just plain NASTY and rude. I told DH if i had to bet money- she is going to go to the cheapest repair place with DHs money and then take all the insurance money and pocket it. :glare: Unfortunately, another point of this story is that you shouldn't offer to settle things yourself to be nice, or it will be seen as an admission of guilt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 I had something like that happen, but my insurance company ended up paying the woman quite a bit of money. At the time of the accident, she said it was all her fault and I was the only one that appeared hurt. A few days later she called me and said her co-worker just happened to be across the street, saw the whole thing, she now had whiplash, and it was my fault. :confused: I couldn't believe it but was most angry that my insurance actually paid her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpoy85 Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Unfortunately, another point of this story is that you shouldn't offer to settle things yourself to be nice, or it will be seen as an admission of guilt. 110% lesson learned for DH now. (Knock on wood, i have never been in any kind of accident) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 I wouldn't have any further discussions with her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 I changed my story once after an accident. It was actually a 7-vehicle accident on the freeway. We all hit a patch of ice and lost control. Two cars in front of me stopped sideways and I could not avoid hitting their left rear bumpers, but I had slowed down by then, so I just tapped them. As I was telling myself off, BOOM! I was hit from behind by a jackknifing semi's rear wheels. I was thrown into the ditch and shaken badly. One of the cars in front of me and one behind me also went in the ditch, with broken windows etc. I jumped out of the car because I was afraid I'd pass out and die right there. I was in shock, but wasn't feeling anything yet. So here come the cops, and I'm telling everyone that I was the person who hit the blue car. Other people said it was the semi that hit the blue car, but I insisted it was me. After my head cleared, I realized it was most likely that the semi sent the blue car into the ditch after I tapped it and after the semi hit me. That just didn't occur to me when I was all shaken up. So at least a day later, I called the insurance company and told them I wanted to change my story, and why. I have no idea whether they believed me or not. Ultimately they said the whole thing was an act of God and everyone had recourse only to their own insurance companies. So if the lady was shaken up, I could understand her viewing things differently after she calmed down. I think you were right to tell your insurance company about it and let them handle it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 So if the lady was shaken up, I could understand her viewing things differently after she calmed down. I think you were right to tell your insurance company about it and let them handle it. I don't see how that could be the case in this particular situation, though. The OP's description of the tone and angry accusations are not at all reflective of someone who is now calmed down and thinking more clearly than right after the accident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinD Posted September 6, 2012 Author Share Posted September 6, 2012 I changed my story once after an accident. It was actually a 7-vehicle accident on the freeway. We all hit a patch of ice and lost control. Two cars in front of me stopped sideways and I could not avoid hitting their left rear bumpers, but I had slowed down by then, so I just tapped them. As I was telling myself off, BOOM! I was hit from behind by a jackknifing semi's rear wheels. I was thrown into the ditch and shaken badly. One of the cars in front of me and one behind me also went in the ditch, with broken windows etc. I jumped out of the car because I was afraid I'd pass out and die right there. I was in shock, but wasn't feeling anything yet. So here come the cops, and I'm telling everyone that I was the person who hit the blue car. Other people said it was the semi that hit the blue car, but I insisted it was me. After my head cleared, I realized it was most likely that the semi sent the blue car into the ditch after I tapped it and after the semi hit me. That just didn't occur to me when I was all shaken up. So at least a day later, I called the insurance company and told them I wanted to change my story, and why. I have no idea whether they believed me or not. Ultimately they said the whole thing was an act of God and everyone had recourse only to their own insurance companies. So if the lady was shaken up, I could understand her viewing things differently after she calmed down. I think you were right to tell your insurance company about it and let them handle it. Under those circumstances, I think you were right to do so. But in this particular case, I had a concrete island on one side of me (left), and I was driving into a parking spot when she opened her door without looking. As I said to her yesterday evening, where was I supposed to go? She was clearly at fault in my opinion and she agreed at the time. The inspectors looked at both cars side by side and confirmed it. I don't know what she hopes to gain. I haven't exaggerated or changed my story because I figured the cars told the story pretty accurately (her door went into the front corner of my car, smashed the lights, and left a clear door-shaped dent in the side front bumper which then buckled the whole passenger side panel on my car). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinD Posted September 6, 2012 Author Share Posted September 6, 2012 Just a quick update (and thank you all for the comments!): I heard back from my insurance adjuster, who said that the otehr driver was clearly in the wrong, that he will notify her insurance agent that she is harrassing me, and that all the paperwork for both sides was final yesterday and nothing will be changing. Phew. The weirdness is hopefully over...and my newly repaired vehicle looks great. :) I appreciate all the support! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Just a quick update (and thank you all for the comments!): I heard back from my insurance adjuster, who said that the otehr driver was clearly in the wrong, that he will notify her insurance agent that she is harrassing me, and that all the paperwork for both sides was final yesterday and nothing will be changing. Phew. The weirdness is hopefully over...and my newly repaired vehicle looks great. :) I appreciate all the support! :hurray: Sometimes sanity prevails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Just a quick update (and thank you all for the comments!): I heard back from my insurance adjuster, who said that the otehr driver was clearly in the wrong, that he will notify her insurance agent that she is harrassing me, and that all the paperwork for both sides was final yesterday and nothing will be changing. Phew. The weirdness is hopefully over...and my newly repaired vehicle looks great. :) I appreciate all the support! Yay! Glad that worked out, and I hope she leaves this alone now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Just a quick update (and thank you all for the comments!): I heard back from my insurance adjuster, who said that the otehr driver was clearly in the wrong, that he will notify her insurance agent that she is harrassing me, and that all the paperwork for both sides was final yesterday and nothing will be changing. Phew. The weirdness is hopefully over...and my newly repaired vehicle looks great. :) I appreciate all the support! Yay! That's awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 That's great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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