A lorry reversed into me

[thedcbrokemybank]

I was just on my way home when a lorry stopped in front of me due to a tractor coming in the opposite direction. I stopped but he then proceeded to reverse directly into me. It was some kind of loader and had bits sticking out of the back which impaled my car and caused quite a bit of damage. He admitted liability and the tractor driver, who didn't witness the accident itself, also corroborated that he admitted responsibility. I have both their details.
I am home now and have informed my insurance company. However my MIL seems to think it will go down as a knock for knock and will be claimed against our insurance rather than the lorry company insurance.
Please tell me this won't be the case?

[thedcbrokemybank]

Sorry I meant to put this in chat

[AnnetteCurtains]

does your MIL work in insurance then ?

[thedcbrokemybank]

No! That was just what she thought.

[JennyOnAPlate]

I’m not an expert by any means but I would think your MIL is completely wrong!! It’s in no way your fault if he reversed into you.

[Longdistance]

No it won't be the case. The lorry driver admitted liability, so the truck company insurance will pay out.

[AnnetteCurtains]

id try not to worry about it too much then
hope it all gets sorted soon

[thedcbrokemybank]

When the driver was on the phone to his boss I heard him say "I was reversing backwards and she went into me". I obviously corrected him and said that is not what happened but who's to say he won't just say that I drove into the back of him.

[twilightcafe]

If you have a witness, the driver admitted liability and he reversed into you, then your MIL is wrong.

Hope you are OK, by the way.

[Sukistinks]

Your MIL is wrong. Tell the insurance what happened, thee drivers details and the contact information for the tractor driver. If there is a liability dispute either your or your insurance company can contact the tractor driver for a statement.

Write down as much as you remember as soon as possible, date it and take a photo of it. Memory changes over time and often those at fault in an RTC remember what they have convinced themselves has happened, not what really happened. (not deliberately, just the way our mind and memory works)

Too many people believe they are experts in insurance and RTCs. Call the insurer, that is the expert.

[thedcbrokemybank]

Thank you for the reassurance. I was quite close to him because he'd stopped very suddenly and I had to break sharply. However I don't think he looked at all because he pretty much reversed straight away.

[Bumbumtaloo]

We had a van reverse into us. Initially when I rang my insurance company I gave them all the details and description of him. They checked his insurance (??) and said he was insured within the same company. He admitted full liability and that was that.

Fingers crossed the driver that hit you is so honest.

[GreenFingersWouldBeHandy]

You have a witness so even if he's starts lying, fingers crossed it will be OK!

[ChocolateButton15]

I had a similar-ish incident. Lorry driver lied to his insurance and then my insurance company said it would be 50/50 even though he hit my car from behind! Hopefully your witness will make a difference for you.

[weeblueberry]

This happened to me about three months ago. I was at a roundabout and the van in front reversed into me. I had a witness and the insurance company assured me that if she confirmed he reversed into me (the other driver tried to say 'oh lets not go through insurance - they'll just say you should have been three car lengths behind me....' . Needless to say insurance found him at fault.

[Sukistinks]

Perhaps the best defence is a recording. iPhone users can use the 'save drives' app and there are plenty of free dash cam apps for android. Or, if you can afford it, buy a dedicated dashcam, could be a lot cheaper than increased premiums for a no-fault incident?

[MrsGWay]

TBH it sounds like you were driving too close to a lorry. If you only just managed to stop he won’t have been seeing you in his mirrors.

[Anymajordude]

Someone reversed into me in a queue of stationary traffic. They admitted liability and it went through insurance fine.

[AwfulSomething]

Lorries do have huge blind spots so I hope you weren't too close.

[Ellapaella]

Actually the person reversing always takes responsibility- driving too close to another vehicle is an issue if the one in front stops suddenly and then you go into them - in that scenario you didn't leave enough space between you.
In this scenario the lorry reversed - he takes responsibility. This has happened to me when a blood transfusion can reversed into my car! I didn't have any issue with the insurance claim at all. It'll be fine.

[Ellapaella]

Which is why the old saying 'reverse into a parking space and pull out' is a good tip to avoid reversing accidents!

[hmcAsWas]

Did you take the details of the tractor driver?

It could go down as 50:50 if the driver changes his story and you don't have an independent witness to corroborate it.

I've been in an accident where it was the other drivers fault but without witnesses it was settled as 50:50

[arethereanyleftatall]

I think this will be the lorries fault if you were stationary.
But, why didn't you reverse when you saw his reverse lights on plus the beep noise? Could you not (ie car behind you)? Lorries have big signs saying 'if you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you' so he probably couldn't see you. Not an excuse, just why it happened.