To think this woman should be thoroughly ashamed of herself?

[Tarjet]

My son was driving to work at the weekend and was waiting for a car parking space. A woman in a huge Range Rover reversed out of the space at speed and hit my son’s car. He was far enough back to see what was going to happen and blast his horn. She still kept on coming.

The damage was fortunately quite minimal but my son’s little fiesta needs a panel realigned. At the time the woman was hugely apologetic, admitted fault (and when my son rang me I could hear her in the background still apologising).

They exchanged details and she asked if she could pay for the repair without going through insurance - which was perfect as I know even a ‘no fault claim’ bumps your premium up.

Fast forward to today - son messaged her with the repair update (it’s being assessed tomorrow) and she’s now changed her tune and blaming my son for the accident and is now going through the insurance as her car has a dent. Or she said he could pay to have it fixed! The fucking audacity is making my blood boil.

Anything I can do before I explode in anger?

We think there is CCTV at the retail park so that will be my first step I think.

Go through insurance let them deal with it

This.

Dont contact the woman, don't stress, just let the insurance company deal with it. Life's too short!

This happened to me. Sadly I got nothing. My car was rubbish and she was in a brand new black range rover. Nice to start then horrible.

She owns a leading fashion brand and is worth millions. I just didn't have the money to fight her
I ended up paying for my own repairs.

I’d send a breezy ‘don’t worry I’ve got hold of the cctv footage so I’ll pass it on to my insurer no problem’. See if she changes her tune!

I was in a 3 car pile up and the car at the very rear who hit us both tried to deny hitting anyone even when we had both felt what she did and the whole front of her car was crumpled in and the police attended the scene. I would never ever trust anyone who asked to deal outside the insurance. They can claim for all sorts and your insurer can void your policy if you fail to report an accident no matter whether you are claiming or the report is for information only. I used to work in liability. Some things are easy to figure out looking at areas and angles of impacts and what can and cannot happen. Other things can be decided as split liability in court or you can agree knock for knock but through the insurer so it is official and there is no comeback. And I would always recommend a dash cam for everyone of any age.

Same happened me. I was very angry over it. I actually beeped like a lunatic as she approached me. Worse still, when I got out of the car she sped off! I had her license number and reported it to the police and insurance.
Despite leaving the scene of an accident the police were absolutely useless.
She denied I was stationary and my insurance settled 50/50. They often just go for the easiest option to avoid fighting in court (which costs more).

@Tarjet, please take the advice you have been given and report it to your insurers and police (online or 101). Use any online or 24-hour phone service you can. Don't wait until tomorrow or you will have added another day's delay. You are beyond the time limits for both, which puts you in breach of contract and law, but salvage what you can. Give outline details now for each to create a case file, and fill in with any more you are asked for later.

Thanks for all the feedback. Yes, he definitely needs a dashcam! And of course, insurance will now be involved.

I think what has annoyed me is that she thinks she can gaslight a young lad with his first modest car into paying for something that was her fault.

Obviously she’s got home and thought about it and realised with no witnesses she can say what she likes. Driving her bloody great wagon recklessly with zero consequences and making out she’s innocent of any wrongdoing is just so morally wrong. I’m just hoping we can get the CCTV. And I hope karma bites her on the arse.

Nah it's "if you hit somebody from behind, it's automatically your fault" reversing into somebody is alot more complicated so very lucky it's happened near cameras actually

Reversing is always their fault.

Tell your insurers but also make enquiries re CCTV asap because it gets deleted if it isn't needed

Some people buy into the blame the younger person-they'll never believe a young lad over a middle-aged woman like me.
I'm so sorry this has happened to your son. It's good there's CCTV. Do you have legal advice/does he have it through work/a union etc? Maybe they will advise phoning the police. Legally, could they charge her fro fraud as well as careless driving? I don't know, but a lawyer would, and someone this like might do it again if they get away with it.

You should always involve insurance straight away and you are both in danger of insurance being invalidated.

it doesn’t matter what the other says insurance all the way

It’s up to your DS’s insurance company to investigate her claims. The retail park will not release any CCTV footage to you because of GDPR

Admittedly I was 21 at the time and am 47 now but this happened to me. I still went through the insurance, it was Diamond car insurance I think. I always get legal cover.
Always take photos as people say no damage then change their minds.

Pretty sure it's a lot more simple if the person being reversed into is stationary.

Haha she’s had her husband telling her he’s not paying. Stick to your guns OP. She reversed into him. End of. Her changing the radio station or getting distracted by a child in the back ain’t cutting it. Tell her she pays or you are claiming through her insurance. Cheeky cow.

Most RR drivers are selfish idiots so never trust one to do the right thing. I know I will get replies from disgruntled RR drivers but I rarely see one that parks between the lines of spaces correctly, doesn't push through roads when hazards on their sides or just generally drives like everyone shouldn't immediately move out of the way of their superior car.

I agree with a PP that she is hoping she will be believed over a young man. My (at the time)19 year old brother was driven into by a middle aged man on a roundabout who failed to give way and refused to take responsibility and blamed my brother. The other driver even claimed my brother had been drinking when it was only 1pm in the afternoon. It was going to court until eventually the other driver admitted fault (probably got wind of the police officer who offered to speak on my brothers behalf).

And anyone reading this that doesn't have a dash cam please get one!

I used to work in insurance claims and this happens a bit sadly. Almost always due to a strong willed arrogant family member who thinks they know best and criticises the person for apologising and coerces them into changing their mind.

I agree report asap..she can still choose to go through insurers or settle privately. Even when a claim is reported, it shouldn't affect the no claims bonus if the insured person chooses to settle. It's years since i left the industry but that used to be the case. The no claims bonus is temporarily suspended until the issue is investigated so that will give her incentive to fill out the forms and give her version of events.

I really hope your DS is believed but if there is zero evidence and it's a he said she said situation there is a risk they will each be told to settle their own damage

Did his insurer get the CCJ removed. They can do this fairly easily.

They did in the end but it was months of stress all because someone decided to lie. We think after she admitted it her family then told her she shouldn’t have admitted liability so she changed her story.

No, that’s not true. I worked in the personal lines insurance industry for more years than I care to admit to. It’s not ‘by law’ but you may invalidate your policy with regard to any claim if you delay letting them know quickly especially if the delay compromises their ability to defend you. It’s a policy condition.

Always, always refuse these private hand shake 'fix it on the side' offers. This is why you pay for car insurance. They deal with it.

Unfortunately for not telling the insurance he could have his insurance cancelled bit does state that you HAVE to report any incidents straight away. I would contact them and tell them she made him nervous and feel afraid to contact them

Proving your stationary if hit by a reversing car is what's difficult to prove as it mimics you hitting them. (Rear damage to their car)

Without witness statements & preferably videos it comes down to one persons word against another as highlighted by another poster later on.

You just can't guarantee the right outcome if the person at fault can't be above board about it.