| superpirate25 |
Unfortunately my car was backed into by some spineless jacakass on Friday night. There were a number of witnesses who told me it was a black flatbed truck, a company vehicle which they got the name of. They weren't able to get a vehicle or plate number. I've already filed a police report as well as notified my insurance company.
What I'm wondering is to what extent the police will investigate the incident. Will they go so far as to contact the company whose vehicle was involved and try to find out who the driver was? Or will it just be added to the stack that my previous hit and run accident is sitting in someplace?
If nothing is resolved through the police, what do you think the chances are of contacting the management at the company, explaining the situation and leaving it up to them to find out who did it, letting them know that I will take the company to small claims, with my witnesses, if they don't get a confession? Would that even be a viable case in court?
Any advice would be appreciated! |
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| Twisted-1 |
| I would have already gone to that companys office and tried to narrow down the search myself. Depending how big of a company they are, they can't have only black flatbeds. Also maybe some paint could have rubbed off on there truck. Just an idea. |
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| keebler811 |
| Getting the company name is good and puts you one step ahead of most hit&runs. The police will contact the company and try to determine what vehicle it was and who was driving, but if they can't it's not the end of the world. Because it was obviously a company vehicle, and that company is likely the registered owner of that vehicle, the police can give the company a hit&run ticket under the onus section....in other words the responsibility falls on them because they are the owner. It's the same way we all get those lovely photo radar tickets...doesn't matter who was driving, the owner takes the hit. However, it never hurts to do your own investigating as well. If nothing else you are showing your insurance company that you have made a reasonable effort to identify the other driver and therefore your chances of them screwing you over are much less. I would go talk to a manager at the company and explain things, hopefully they'll be willing to work something out. Just don't make any deals with them...yet. Allow the police, your insurance, and you to put some pressure on them. Then see where that goes and check in with the police in a couple of weeks and see where they are on things. Pick the solution that suits you best...whether that be them paying for the damage outright, them getting tickets from the police, insurance dealing with it, or whatever. Good luck! |
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| Honda_Finatic |
| giving the location and time frame of when it happened may help narrow things down. |
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| superpirate25 |
quote:
Originally posted by Honda_Finatic
giving the location and time frame of when it happened may help narrow things down.
Yes, that information is all in the police report. Considering it happened at a liquor store in a company flatbed leads me to believe they live in that area. Probably grabbing some beer on the way home from work. |
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| n0c7 |
Who.. wha.. who who.. who who..
I wanna see how this one turns out, good luck :thumbup: |
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| superpirate25 |
| I've already investigated the company and took pictures of their black flatbeds to show to my girlfriend, who saw him park in front of us, as well as the witnesses who saw him back into me, so they can verify that it's the same. The chances of finding any paint or damage on their truck is slim, since it was the hitch that hit my car. I'm going to be calling the liquor store today to find out about their survaillence footage, to find out whether or not they have any footage of the lot. Otherwise, I'm going to ask them to hold onto the nights footage for me since the driver entered the store within 30 seconds before or after me, and should be easily identified by the companies management if I need to approach them. |
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| n0c7 |
| A full sized van with a trailer hitch backed into my car last year. He hit me but left on foot and left the van behind. I took pictures and there was paint on the hitch. He returned hours later after I left. He was ticketted with failing to remain at the scene of an accident. The next time I saw the van he had already cleaned up the hitch. |
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