AIBU to be worried about the lack of phone call?

[indecisivemeee]

On Wednesday, DP was in a very low impact car accident. He was driving a courtesy car at the time because a few weeks ago, while our own car was parked on the road outside our house, a woman collecting her DC from the nearby school tried to reverse into a space and ended up misjudging and hitting our car. There was a dent and paintwork damage, so our insurance company arranged for it to be taken in for repair. They gave us a completely different type of car and DP was a bit nervous about driving it as it was unfamiliar.

Anyway, Wednesday afternoon we were driving back home when DP went to stop at a set of red lights. He had stopped and put the handbrake on, but this car's handbrake needed to be pulled up a lot harder than our normal car and he thought it was on when it wasn't. When he took his foot off of the brake, the car rolled very slowly forward (I mean less than 1mph) and tapped the car in front. He was really shaken up and it happened so quickly.

A woman about mid 20s and her 3 friends got out of the car. She was fine about it, there was only a tiny graze on her paintwork and no damage to the courtesy car. Her friend even said she thought the car had just stalled and had not even realised there had been an impact.

She gave DP a name (not sure if it was a first or last name as it was foreign and unfamiliar), her mobile number and said which insurance company she was with. She said she'd phone us that evening to discuss it after she'd spoken to her husband.

DP contacted our insurance company and reported what had happened. We waited for the woman to call but she never did. It is now nearly 2 days since this happened and there has been no contact. I am worried that she is going to go to these 'no win no fee' compensation companies and claim whiplash. My sister had a similar thing happen and the woman claimed whiplash and severe anxiety for a very low impact accident. Another thought is that she was dodgy and perhaps uninsured. The fact that she only gave one name is a bit weird.

What do you think? Should she have called by now or AIBU to be worried?

She and her husband may simply have decided it's not worth following up. I don't think I would (unless I was driving a Ferrari...).

Also, how close was your DP to the car in front when he came to a stop, such that he was unable to apply the brake and prevent a 1mph roll into it? Handbrakes are pulled up until you feel them engage.

I hope that's what's happened, I would do the same if it was me.

DP is usually a careful driver and has never had an accident before. I think it was just a combination of an unusual car, a really hot day and his mind was all over the place as his DF had been taken into hospital that day. Honestly don't know how he didn't realise the handbrake wasn't properly applied, it was a silly, avoidable accident but it happens.

dont worry if she does call then tell her to contact her insurance co and leave it all in their hands

even if she does go to a no win no fee company, get them to deal with your insurance company

Not sure what there is to be worried out tbh. If it was as minor as you say she might have been busy and had other things to worry about. Or she might want to get a garage to look at her vehicle to check to see if there's any hidden damage.

If it turns out the other driver was uninsured then clearly that would be a police matter, but wouldn't affect you directly as you wouldn't be needing to claim off her policy .

If she or her passengers have sustained an injury then she'd be quite within her rights to pursue that through a "no-win, no fee" solicitor. It would be for your insurers to obtain sight of the necessary evidence for the claim, but again it's really wouldn't be your concern.

You've done everything you can in terms of notifying your insurer, I wouldn't give it another moments thought. If she get in touch simply refer her to your insurers

If she was going to a 'no win, no fee' company, it would be obvious from the minimal damage to both cars that the impact wasn't enough to cause injury. Even if it had been, it would be done through your insurance company.

She has probably just decided it isn't worth pursuing, maybe she doesn't want to lose her no claims bonus over such a tiny scratch.

It the last year I have scraped someone's stationary car - I went into the shop to find them and they were very gracious - husband called me later to say don't worry about it - it was ancient and it was being traded in and the garage were scrapping it anyway.

Fairly shortly after a man reversed into me when I was sat in my car - he was really harassed and upset and we couldn't find anything but a tiny chip on my car that to be honest might not have been him - I said don't worry carry on and didn't think about it again.

Also someone left the handbrake off their van at work and it rolled into me (honest it's like my car is a magnet) and it was the tiniest dent you've ever seen - again I said don't worry.

I have since been to have car valued and they haven't taken any notice of the marks even when pointed out.

She probably - like me - can't be arsed - not everyone is out to make a buck - I would certainly claim if I or car were serious damaged but otherwise I see it as a bit of give and take.