Had a prang. Need your help PHers!
Discussion
Hi Guys,
On the way home from a well known shopping center a couple of days ago, some douche in an Audi A3 did a left-hand-lane-right-hand-turn in front of me. I had my kids and pregnant wife in the car at the time, but luckily nobody was hurt.
Damage to my car looks to be a new wing, front bumper respray and an alloy wheel refurb. Whereas the Audi got cut open like a tin of beans by my front passenger side alloy.
Anyway, nobody stopped to be a witness. We had to move from the scene to prevent another accident and of course the other guy isn't accepting liability. I've asked the HA to see if there is any traffic cams in the area but haven't heard back yet.
Without any witnesses or video evidence its going to be quite hard to fight my case and I'd really rather not pay £750 excess for something that wasn't my fault. But after doing a bit of random searching on the net I came across a few accident management companies that claim to fight my case for me, while also giving me £500 cash back regardless of whether they succeed or not.
I'm not after 'compo' for the accident. I just want to minimise what I have to pay out and hopefully nail the SOAB for driving like an ass and putting my family in danger.
What are your thoughts on using a management company to deal with my claim?
On the way home from a well known shopping center a couple of days ago, some douche in an Audi A3 did a left-hand-lane-right-hand-turn in front of me. I had my kids and pregnant wife in the car at the time, but luckily nobody was hurt.
Damage to my car looks to be a new wing, front bumper respray and an alloy wheel refurb. Whereas the Audi got cut open like a tin of beans by my front passenger side alloy.
Anyway, nobody stopped to be a witness. We had to move from the scene to prevent another accident and of course the other guy isn't accepting liability. I've asked the HA to see if there is any traffic cams in the area but haven't heard back yet.
Without any witnesses or video evidence its going to be quite hard to fight my case and I'd really rather not pay £750 excess for something that wasn't my fault. But after doing a bit of random searching on the net I came across a few accident management companies that claim to fight my case for me, while also giving me £500 cash back regardless of whether they succeed or not.
I'm not after 'compo' for the accident. I just want to minimise what I have to pay out and hopefully nail the SOAB for driving like an ass and putting my family in danger.
What are your thoughts on using a management company to deal with my claim?
£500 cash back type companies I wouldn't trust but that money only applies to PI claims only. With the situation you are talking about with no witnesses, an accident management company can't do anything for you, it's disputed, you cannot prove the third parties fault so it's likely to be settled 50/50 without CCTV.
nonplussed said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you run into the back of someone I think you're automatically at fault, no matter how badly he was driving. Something about not leaving yourself enough space/time to react. Google it, but I think it's fairly clear cut in most cases.
he said the other fella turned right from the left lane in front of him
Not a good thing to sent to the insurance company because it makes you look like you were in the wrong. You crossed lanes not him. In that I mean the lane markings seem to indicate his lane spilts into two where your lane continues on to be the middle lane.
This may not be the case, but your diagram makes it look like the case.
This may not be the case, but your diagram makes it look like the case.
julian64 said:
Not a good thing to sent to the insurance company because it makes you look like you were in the wrong. You crossed lanes not him. In that I mean the lane markings seem to indicate his lane spilts into two where your lane continues on to be the middle lane.
This may not be the case, but your diagram makes it look like the case.
Huh, I'm not sure I get what you mean? I was in the middle lane aiming for the sliproad signposted on my line. While the other driver was in the left-hand lane aiming to go right on a road that wasn't signposted on his lane.This may not be the case, but your diagram makes it look like the case.
I think that as long as you are very clear and honest with what happened, and can draw a couple of pictures of the accident scene (showing which lanes the 2 cars were in etc.) then I don't think you will have too many problems- especially if you were in the outside lane and the Audi was in the inside lane and he cut across your path. Including details such as whether the other driver was indicating to go right or not, were you potentially in his blind spot, and whether the change in direction was sudden and unexpected (attempted U-turn, as opposed to just changing lanes) will be useful to help your cause. Does the damage to both cars corroborate your story- i.e. nearside front wing and alloy, front bumper? As this sort of damage at the front of your car (esp. front bumper) does not suggest a simple lane change and lack of observation on your part- it suggests a careless manoeuvre from the Audi. It would be interesting to hear the other party's version of events! In any case, fight it all the way!
stumpage said:
Sorry, but looking at the lane you were in there are clearly two arrows showing your lane goes to the right middle lane and not straight on. Looks to me like it's your error.
Are you maybe looking at the green overlay on the road? This is simply Google Maps indication that they recognise this as a road.
Unedited version:
The road that branches off to the Left is the sliproad to the M25. The road branches off to the right is the A13.
At the traffic lights (where the blocks represented our cars are on the earlier diagram) the left hand lane had M25 ONLY signposted on floor, middle lane had M25/A13 on floor, right lane had A13 ONLY on floor.
I was in middle lane, so my understanding is that I could have either joined the M25 in the right hand 'fast' lane of the sliproad, or gone round to the A13.
The other driver was in the left hand lane, so should have only taken the M25 sliproad in the left-hand lane?
The road that branches off to the Left is the sliproad to the M25. The road branches off to the right is the A13.
At the traffic lights (where the blocks represented our cars are on the earlier diagram) the left hand lane had M25 ONLY signposted on floor, middle lane had M25/A13 on floor, right lane had A13 ONLY on floor.
I was in middle lane, so my understanding is that I could have either joined the M25 in the right hand 'fast' lane of the sliproad, or gone round to the A13.
The other driver was in the left hand lane, so should have only taken the M25 sliproad in the left-hand lane?
Edited by jimxms on Wednesday 5th January 08:52
julian64 said:
Not a good thing to sent to the insurance company because it makes you look like you were in the wrong. You crossed lanes not him. In that I mean the lane markings seem to indicate his lane spilts into two where your lane continues on to be the middle lane.
This may not be the case, but your diagram makes it look like the case.
WTF?This may not be the case, but your diagram makes it look like the case.
Looking at the lane markings the OP has the choice of moving left and proceeding down lane 2 of the exit OR continuing round the roundabout.
Audi Mong has the choice of proceeding down lane 1 of the exit or planning and executing a lane change safely, which he failed to do?!
OP, might be worth unticking the "Roads" overlay in google earth and using a single line to show the movement so it clearly shows the lane markings.
What story is the other guy giving??
Petrolhead_Rich said:
julian64 said:
Not a good thing to sent to the insurance company because it makes you look like you were in the wrong. You crossed lanes not him. In that I mean the lane markings seem to indicate his lane spilts into two where your lane continues on to be the middle lane.
This may not be the case, but your diagram makes it look like the case.
WTF?This may not be the case, but your diagram makes it look like the case.
Looking at the lane markings the OP has the choice of moving left and proceeding down lane 2 of the exit OR continuing round the roundabout.
Audi Mong has the choice of proceeding down lane 1 of the exit or planning and executing a lane change safely, which he failed to do?!
OP, might be worth unticking the "Roads" overlay in google earth and using a single line to show the movement so it clearly shows the lane markings.
What story is the other guy giving??
Good call on the Google maps options. I'll send a clearer version over to insurance co. Only reason for doing arrows was because I couldn't work out how to do a line that bent with the contours of the road in my photo editor.
Some Gump said:
OP,
Google earth without blocks added?
For the record, I'm not sure the guy above me is correct. If he is right (your lane goes to middle lane turning right), then who uses the 2nd "turn left" lane??
Tend to agree - the left hand lane is for turning left, the OP's lane is for turning left or going straight on (the left turning is two lanes) the OP's lane opens up into two lanes going right...Google earth without blocks added?
For the record, I'm not sure the guy above me is correct. If he is right (your lane goes to middle lane turning right), then who uses the 2nd "turn left" lane??
The white lines seem to continue for the left hand lane up the left hand turning (you can just see them under the OP's graphics) - the other car has clearly crossed them whatever the OP did... A pic without the graphics would be good..
Simes.
Should be cut and dried. Unless the Audi numpty claims to have been in your lane and you in the right one and trying to exit. THen, without witnesses, it's anyone's guess what'll happen.
You really should have taken a photo on camera phone before moving the cars though although I can understand giving priority to getting your car and wife/child to safety.
You really should have taken a photo on camera phone before moving the cars though although I can understand giving priority to getting your car and wife/child to safety.
I had a similar accident a few years ago on the approach to a roundabout where the guy turned into my path with no indication causing similar damage as you describe to both vehicles.
I did the same as you and sent a google maps image annotated and also described the road signs, lane markings etc. In fact I also sent the ins co a CD with loads of pictures.
The claim did eventually get settled in my favour after 12 mths or so although I still ended up paying £500 excess initially but got it back.
As has been said give anniesdad a call on here. i did at the time and his advice was very useful although I just ended up leaving it to my ins co.
Good luck though and stick to your guns.
I did the same as you and sent a google maps image annotated and also described the road signs, lane markings etc. In fact I also sent the ins co a CD with loads of pictures.
The claim did eventually get settled in my favour after 12 mths or so although I still ended up paying £500 excess initially but got it back.
As has been said give anniesdad a call on here. i did at the time and his advice was very useful although I just ended up leaving it to my ins co.
Good luck though and stick to your guns.
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