Insurance/Crash Question

[beatboxn420]

I had a car crash about 8 months ago in march. I backed into a lady's trailblazer with my expodition. her quarter panel and door were majorly dented. She didnt call the police or insurnace company. She said shed get it fixed and than let me pay her off. Well.. 8 months has gone buy and she finally calls me to say she wants to get it done. Since its been so long, and there was no insurance or police contact/reports... can she call the police or insurance if i do not pay her or pay her the full price of her ests? she had 2 ests done, between 1200-1800. And my family friend said he'd have it done for 800. And in florida.. Ive heard that after 3 ests. You must pick the lowest of the three. Is that fact?.. But the main question is, since its been over 6 months and i tell her to screw off, she took to long. What can happen? And if it goes to court, can my side hold up?

[fredjacksonsan]

Originally Posted by beatboxn420

I had a car crash about 8 months ago in march. I backed into a lady's trailblazer with my expodition. her quarter panel and door were majorly dented. She didnt call the police or insurnace company. She said shed get it fixed and than let me pay her off. Well.. 8 months has gone buy and she finally calls me to say she wants to get it done. Since its been so long, and there was no insurance or police contact/reports... can she call the police or insurance if i do not pay her or pay her the full price of her ests? she had 2 ests done, between 1200-1800. And my family friend said he'd have it done for 800. And in florida.. Ive heard that after 3 ests. You must pick the lowest of the three. Is that fact?.. But the main question is, since its been over 6 months and i tell her to screw off, she took to long. What can happen? And if it goes to court, can my side hold up?

First of all, It would have been best to report it to your insurance in the first place, but.

Having said that, it's going to be awfully difficult for her to prove that you hit her, after 8 months. However if she CAN prove it, you could be forced to pay, depending on the laws in your state.

If you are deciding against paying her for whatever reason, you could always use the argument that it has been so long since the accident that the estimate she got is for additional damage she got after your accident, and you're not going to pay because of that.

If you intend to pay her for the damages, I'd suggest showing her the estimate you received and give her that amount.

Keep in mind that legally, once she accepts any payment from you for damages, she can no longer go back to your insurance company and the matter, legally at least, is considered ended.

Hope that helps out (just report it next time...)

[beatboxn420]

the only reason i didnt report it to my insurance company, is because i didnt want it to increase.. since im only 17

[fredjacksonsan]

That's always your choice; however your policy states that you will report all accidents and if you don't, you could lose coverage - a VERY bad thing if they report injuries and sue you, since you could be liable for their injuries. Food for thought and good luck.

Did you mention it to your parents? Since your are a minor they could be held liable for your actions.

[beatboxn420]

they know about it. my old man and the lady are talking and shit. no bodily injuries or shit. she cant report it to the police or report her claim cause its been so long.. and if i go to court i just want to know if the fact its been so long means i dont either have to pay her or can 1/2 way. i just want to get out of it with the least amount of money outta my pocket.

[fredjacksonsan]

If the other driver decides to take you to court, they will have to have some proof that you hit her. Pictures? Signed statement from you? Witness? If they don't have that kind of info, they haven't got a leg to stand on.

[beatboxn420]

Witness = One officer that someone else called in. No pictures. No written statements besides the transfering of insurance info.. but me and dad are pretty sure she lost it cause she had to find our phone number out of the phone book, and she would of had it if she kept our insurance info.

[dave92cherokee]

Hate to say it but you'd be better off showing her the estimate you friend gave and pay her that much as since a cop was called to the scene and if she goes to court and brings the officer as a witness then you're up the river. Remember the old saying what goes around comes around, you try to screw her over and she'll take you to court and if she brings the officer she'll win, even though it's been a while don't try to weasel out of your responsibility and next time pay more attention and don't back into someone.

[beatboxn420]

..sure.. like i said. Im trying to get out of this with as little money as possible. And Karma.. is fake. Just a figment of your imagenation, and only something that a person would ahold that has a guilty conseuence..(cant spell that work). And the cop was called in by someone else. Not her. The cop even told me herself, that someone down the street called her after me and her left.

[fredjacksonsan]

It's "conscience"

If there's no police report on the accident you're probably alright with the police.

[beatboxn420]

Ya theres no police report. No nothing besides words exchanged between me/my old man and her... I think I can get out of it for the most part.

[fredjacksonsan]

Yup.

[dave92cherokee]

If there's no police report and nothing was ever filed with insurance company then it's a case of he said she said. Is there any damage to your vehicle wether it be dented bumper paint from her car scraped off or anything. If there's any unrepaired damage to your vehicle then I suggest you get it fixed quick and make sure there's no sign at all of you ever backing into her and then there's no proof that it was you could have been anyone.