Confessions of a Liberal Puritan

Sisabet has given the professional advice, Lori.

I'll just say Ms SUV is a big fat liar and I hope her pants catch on fire. If her nose grew when she signed her witness statement, that would be amusing too.

I hope your insurance company finds it worthwhile to contest the issue.

Unfortunately, it's very common. It's hard for people to admit culpability, especially when money is involved. Someone once stepped in front of a friend's car and fell to the ground. (Fortunately, the car was barely moving and the pedestrian wasn't seriously hurt.) But she told the cops that she turned around, looked in the direction of traffic, and then got hit, apparently out of nowhere.

Out of nowhere, by a car that was creeping down a crowded street on a day with good visibility. Not to mention that she said she was looking in the direction of traffic but somehow got hit in the butt!

I think the laws of physics will tend to uphold your version of the story.

*hugs*

Several years ago, I was in a minor accident when I hit the side of a cab that pulled out in front of me from an illegal parking spot without signaling. I was trying to be calm and not be "that guy" who screams and flips out, but by the time we got to the police station to give statements, he was in full-on lying mode. He lied about the direction in which we were both going and a million other unnecessary things. It's like traffic accidents switch something off in the brain. It was frustrating, but at the same time, everytime the cop said, "Well, that's just not possible, given what you've said about this," I was just cracking up at the absurdity of it all.

I'm glad you're ok and sorry that you have to witness the seamy underbelly of dumb people. It is frustrating and baffling.

This pisses me off enormously. Yes, I know it is human nature to be defensive and confrontational sometimes, but it is also human nature - or at least a facet of human nature to which it is not unthinkable to aspire - to stop, think, and then bite the bullet and take responsibility.

When you're [I mean all of us, but particularly this other driver] in an accident, it's best to simply make sure that any injured people get help, to assist folks whenever possible, to exchange all pertinent insurance information, and to refrain from either admitting culpability or asserting it.

Immediately post-accident, none of us is in the best of shape, so you go through the routine and try not to freak out.

But then...you tell the damn truth. You tell your adjuster exactly what you recall, including the parts you're uncertain about. If the claim goes to litigation and your insurance company retains counsel, you tell the lawyer everything, no matter how it makes you look. Then the lawyer looks at that, the accident report (if any), the damage reports, medical records, witness statements...and if the lawyer has the facts, he or she is in a position to make (or demand) an appropriate settlement proposal.

But you don't fucking lie. You want to, but you don't. Because it's wrong.

I'm so sorry the police didn't take a report. Have you, your adjuster, or anyone taken lots of photos of your car? Be sure and write down in even more detail than you have already on LJ exactly what you recall.

You (well, the adjuster/investigator) may need to place an ad in the appropriate newspaper requesting eyewitnesses to contact you.

And - this is a long-shot, but you'd be amazed at what can happen sometimes - google the other driver's information (name, plate number, whatever you have).

If none of that works, let me know and I will pound that SUV into eensy little shards of metal and plastic, and I'll make the driver eat every bit.

I can do this because I am evil and doomed and not a woman of any sort of Godly virtue, so just let me know, okay?