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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to find this arsehole and give him the injury he claims to have?

82 replies

breakingup · 15/08/2013 11:50

I am actually fuming and it is possibly clouding my judgement.

Last year I drove into the back of someones van, I was 8 month's pregnant and bruised the insides of my bump when I hit the steering wheel, I was in so much pain that an ambulance came and took me to hospital..ironically I was on my way to a hospital appointment for pain injections due to spd.

His van had a small amount of damage, he was stationary and i was going about 5 miles ph so it wasn't a horrific accident I just didn't stop in time.

I was so upset that I kept apologising and even rang the man afterwards, his only concern was me and my 3 year old he kept saying it was just an accident don't worry he was communicating with dh over the repairs, we couldn't afford to not go through insurance so it did, all went through everything sorted claim closed and he even rang to say all ok and hope all went ok with the birth of our new dd.

Fast forward 8 months..I get a call from an old insurance company saying someone had loged a claim that I had gone into them, I could prove it didn't happen as I was in hospital at the time with hyperreimis (horrible pregnancy) and further details showed actually it is the above man trying to make another claim for the accident on a different date, I got them to communicate with my current insurance company (like getting blood out of a stone) and today I finally accomplished getting the file closed..

However my current insurer has told me the above man has logged a personal injury claim against me..for whiplash.

Now if he had whiplash I am the queen of fucking sheeba, he is out to get quick cash! Hes made a fraudulent claim and now this bollox,

Aibu to track him down and give him something to claim about?

My premium is going to be horrific as it is, how can someone be so fucking cruel!!!

OP posts:
HotelTangoFoxtrotUniform · 15/08/2013 11:53

People can be injured from low-speed crashes. He may well have had whiplash as a result.

This is what you have insurance for. Leave it to the insurance company and don't stress about it.

primallass · 15/08/2013 11:53

I bet he has been contacted by one of those vulture personal injury companies. We had a crash on the ice a couple of Christmases ago, were 'at fault' and I still get emails and texts every so often about it.

Souredstones · 15/08/2013 11:55

I know where you're coming from.

I went into the back of someone earlier this year at well under 10mph (proven as the airbag didn't go off) and he is still off sick with the 'trauma' and 'severe upper back injuries'. I know this because he tried to get me done for driving without insurance and gave incorrect details to his insurers who sent all copies of all paperwork to me...

I hope my lot take him to court and screw him over, as I hope yours do with your one.

ouryve · 15/08/2013 11:55

It's claims like this that are making insurance premiums so expensive, though.

CSIJanner · 15/08/2013 11:56

YANBU to feel this way. The problem is whiplash is v difficult to disprove, which it why fake crashes are set up for insurance scams. If the police were there, their reports may be able to help, especially if he didn't say anything about pain at the time. TBH though, the insurance will probably just pay out unless the fund he has a history of claiming for each accident he may have the misfortune for being in.

Original poster
breakingup · 15/08/2013 12:00

The lady told me on the phone that 99% of these claims get paid out as they can't prove that he didn't have it but we spoke to him loads and asked if he was ok and he didn't mention it.

With this extra claim I don't think I will be able to afford my insurance next year and I rely on my car for work.

OP posts:
Sparrowlegs248 · 15/08/2013 12:06

My DH was crashed into last year, in his van he was doing about 45mph on the main road and a gitl didn't stop/look and just pulled out and hit the side. He was fine after crapping himself going down the road sideways but got NO END of phonecalls from no win no fee people. He repeatedly told them he was fine and still they called. It would honestly have been less hassle to say 'yes my neck hurts'

Don't take it personally. He's probably out for some quick cash because 'everyone else does it'

Original poster
breakingup · 15/08/2013 12:10

nott

I am taking it personally because it will make my insurance unaffordable

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 15/08/2013 12:17

I agree, he's probably being hounded by claim companies.

Not that it excuses him but he probably sees it as a 'victimless crime' against an insurance company.

Original poster
breakingup · 15/08/2013 12:20

I actually hope he has got whiplash.

If he hasn't a great big wave of karma is going to come back twice as bad.

Thinking of taking up witch craft to curse the bastard

OP posts:
holidaysarenice · 15/08/2013 12:33

Your premium won't change much based on his injury. The actual accident is what changes it.

After my accident insurance companies sent me through claim forms with injury details already completed. I wasn't injured!!

nilbyname · 15/08/2013 12:34

I would really not sweat it, have you spoken to your insurer and asked for a new quote following the pay out? It might not be as bad as you think.

I was in a similar accident as you describe and I was the "victim" I cannot tell you the amount of personal injury people who have ambulance chased me promising me £££ if I make a claim. I wouldn't I was not injured!

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 15/08/2013 12:37

You can get whiplash at low speeds but 5mph is very low.

However. .whiplash can be very nasty. .am still having physio 2 years later and got nerve pain down arm daily. (We were hit at 40+mph).

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 15/08/2013 12:38

Also it usually doesn't show until a day or two later.

LittleprincessinGOLDrocks · 15/08/2013 12:38

I understand why you are annoyed.
We were the victim of a scam crash. The car in front slammed on when the lights just changed to amber, despite his front wheels being over the white lines. We slammed on and swerved to try and avoid them, but hit them.
We had DD in the car (she was only 3 months old) so I stayed in the car with her. DH got out to talk to the men - all 4 that got out. We couldn't be sure who had been driving. And it appeared they were not clear about who had been driving either.
They looked in to our car and saw DD in her carseat, and one said "Oh we didn't think you would have a baby on board!" (is it just me that finds that an odd thing to say?)
They then reluctantly gave us their details, only after DH gave his and asked them repeatedly for theirs. All they gave us was the number of a taxi rank office and the name of the owner of the car (we doubt that was who was driving as they called the "driver" a different name!).
They then got in their car and drove in to the car park of the casino (where we also went to park the car up to get it off the road whilst we sorted recovery etc). They got out of their car and went running and jumping in to the casino.
We reported the accident to the police (who agreed it sounded like a scam that was being run in the region) but they could do nothing.
So we informed our insurance of our worries, and they agreed it sounded like the scam. Especially when the men claimed all 5 of them had whiplash. That's right, they claimed for a person who wasn't even there!
If they had whiplash I am Carmen Miranda!
Our insurance fought their claim for awhile, but a year later contacted us to say that they had no choice but to pay out. There were no witnesses (as it was 11pm) to back us up.

I think you just have to take it on the chin. Being angry won't change anything. But I do feel your pain!

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 15/08/2013 12:39

As for not being able to prove it..that is untrue..Iwas tested and inteinterrogated by an orthopaedic consultant.

CoffeeChocolateWine · 15/08/2013 12:40

Similar thing happened to me year ago. I went into the back of someone at traffic lights. The car was stationary and I was going very slowly.

I was a bit shaken up but the other driver was lovely. There was nothing more than a scratch on her car...no dent of anything like that, but mine had more damage. I asked her if she was ok and she said she was fine and after doing to formalities she went on her way.

Then I got a letter through saying she was claiming for whiplash and severe anxiety. What a load of bollocks. She was fine! Just milking every penny she could out of it.

People like that annoy me so much. That's why premiums are so high.

SusanneLinder · 15/08/2013 12:44

Myself and DD were in an accident in May where I was hit from behind. Hardly any damage to car and we walked away, unscathed so we thought. DD got taken to hospital that afternoon with neck and shoulder pain, and I have pain in my back which I am getting nasty deep massage for.

4 months later DD and I are still suffering. I never believed in whiplash, until we got it, its bloody agony

ImNotBloody14 · 15/08/2013 12:46

firstly, your premium wont rocket. this happened to me and it was surprisingly small increase in price at renewal.

secondly, take some consolation in the fact that if he gets a pay out for this whiplash he will have to sign an agreement that he is accepting this payment for any and all injuries caused by the accident- so if in a few years he does actually develop back pain or something related to it he will not be able to make any claim even if the injury means he has to leave work forever. he will have already accepted his compensation and wont be able to claim if a genuine injury does arise. which can happen.

HeirToTheIronThrone · 15/08/2013 12:49

I bumped into someone in my work car park and he managed to get c.£6k out of my insurers for injuries sustained to wrist, back and neck - from me going into his passenger side at about 5mph in a collision where the only damage was a cracked numberplate... He had a doctor's note thought which you sadly can't really argue against - it's horrible and frustrating but you just have to let the insurers deal with it.

I still see my man every day - he works in the building opposite - and silently rage and wish I'd agreed with my colleague's suggestion to go and key his car

Quaffle · 15/08/2013 12:50

You can get whiplash as a result of low speed crashes. I did. It didn't show up for a day or two.

Don't drive into the back of people.

Peachyjustpeachy · 15/08/2013 12:54

Ihad a slow speed shunt about 2years ago.I was the second car in a line of 4 that was hit.

Car one...no damage, I had my handbrake on when I hit it. My car was written off. Car three was written off. Car four. Was the chap that bit us all, don't know if his car was wtritten off but the whole front end was stovedin.

I got whiplash and still suffering with it two years later...neck pain, arm pain. Headaches. I tried acupuncture but that made the room go black.

I let my job cosof my sick record. I lost my car and could replace

Sickofthesnow · 15/08/2013 12:59

Am I reading this right - the first claim was done and dusted. But now there is a second? And he's saying the second as a SEPARATE incident!?

If so YANBU - I'd be absolutely FUMING the same as you!

DreamingOfTheMaldives · 15/08/2013 13:01

I think people should be more suspicious of 'fake injuries' if someone says their neck hurts immediately after the accident - I've never had it and don't actually know anyone who has, but my understanding is that whiplash takes a couple of days to arise rather than an immediate upon impact injury so it's not surprising that people seem fine at the time but then go on to claim for injuries.

I do however appreciate that there are lots of false whiplash claims made, but they're not all false.

blueemerald · 15/08/2013 13:08

I don't think anyone is denying that whiplash exists and that it can take a day or so to show up, but 8 months?! And he's already made a fraudulent claim?