Hit and Run - foreign lorry
Discussion
My wife was hit this morning by a lorry who proceeded to drive off. She's fine just very shaken and pissed off - and the car has panel damage but is is still drive-able. There are several witnesses, one of whom took a photo of the lorry driving off. It was a fully liveried lorry - it's an Austrian distribution company and an Austrian registered plate.
Wife spoke to 101 who then passed it to the traffic accident team (sic) who basically said they would take it no further as it's not a UK registered vehicle and advised to speak to her insurer who may wish to pursue a claim. She's now going to speak to her insurer, but I don't hold out much hope.
Is there anything that can be done, or is it just one to leave to the insurer and accept and move on?
Wife spoke to 101 who then passed it to the traffic accident team (sic) who basically said they would take it no further as it's not a UK registered vehicle and advised to speak to her insurer who may wish to pursue a claim. She's now going to speak to her insurer, but I don't hold out much hope.
Is there anything that can be done, or is it just one to leave to the insurer and accept and move on?
JQ said:
My wife was hit this morning by a lorry who proceeded to drive off. She's fine just very shaken and pissed off - and the car has panel damage but is is still drive-able. There are several witnesses, one of whom took a photo of the lorry driving off. It was a fully liveried lorry - it's an Austrian distribution company and an Austrian registered plate.
Wife spoke to 101 who then passed it to the traffic accident team (sic) who basically said they would take it no further as it's not a UK registered vehicle and advised to speak to her insurer who may wish to pursue a claim. She's now going to speak to her insurer, but I don't hold out much hope.
Is there anything that can be done, or is it just one to leave to the insurer and accept and move on?
I'm surprised the police aren't interested in a failure to stop, just because it's a foreign vehicle. What we need is some sort of organisation to link countries together to co-operate on things like this - oh hang on... Wife spoke to 101 who then passed it to the traffic accident team (sic) who basically said they would take it no further as it's not a UK registered vehicle and advised to speak to her insurer who may wish to pursue a claim. She's now going to speak to her insurer, but I don't hold out much hope.
Is there anything that can be done, or is it just one to leave to the insurer and accept and move on?
mgv8 said:
In this case get a good lawyer, if the evidence is good then they can put a block on the lorries coming into the country.
Seriously?What's the point of having fully comp insurance if you aren't going to use it? Just claim, and let them sort it out. Being hit by a foreign vehicle isn't exactly unusual.
Years ago had this, a polish driver in a European lorry hit my Jag. Stopped but refused point blank to give me any details.
Called the police & after an argument as to whether I was Thames Valley or Surrey a traffic car came out. Even he struggled to get anything out of him, eventually threatened him with arrest!
He got all the details & I sent that & pics to my insurance co. legal cover. I then repaired the car & sent the invoice to the legal co as well.
Around 6 months later a cheque came from there insurers! I nearly fell over as I'd written it off.
Called the police & after an argument as to whether I was Thames Valley or Surrey a traffic car came out. Even he struggled to get anything out of him, eventually threatened him with arrest!
He got all the details & I sent that & pics to my insurance co. legal cover. I then repaired the car & sent the invoice to the legal co as well.
Around 6 months later a cheque came from there insurers! I nearly fell over as I'd written it off.
wack said:
You should bear in mind he may have had no idea he hit her , sounds like he brushed against the car if it's panel damage, unless he's looking in that mirror at the exact moment he wouldn't even feel it
I suspect you may be right. Have got home and it's panel damage - boot, bumper and rear wing will all need sorting. Not a big impact but a reasonable amount of damage with bent panels.
JQ said:
My wife was hit this morning by a lorry who proceeded to drive off. She's fine just very shaken and pissed off - and the car has panel damage but is is still drive-able. There are several witnesses, one of whom took a photo of the lorry driving off. It was a fully liveried lorry - it's an Austrian distribution company and an Austrian registered plate.
Wife spoke to 101 who then passed it to the traffic accident team (sic) who basically said they would take it no further as it's not a UK registered vehicle and advised to speak to her insurer who may wish to pursue a claim. She's now going to speak to her insurer, but I don't hold out much hope.
Is there anything that can be done, or is it just one to leave to the insurer and accept and move on?
Did the registration come from the trailer or the tractor unit? Wife spoke to 101 who then passed it to the traffic accident team (sic) who basically said they would take it no further as it's not a UK registered vehicle and advised to speak to her insurer who may wish to pursue a claim. She's now going to speak to her insurer, but I don't hold out much hope.
Is there anything that can be done, or is it just one to leave to the insurer and accept and move on?
If it came from the trailer then it'll almost certainly be an Eastern European tractor unit running under the companys name. European trailers have a different registration to the tractor unit.
JQ said:
Wife spoke to 101 who then passed it to the traffic accident team (sic) who basically said they would take it no further as it's not a UK registered vehicle and advised to speak to her insurer who may wish to pursue a claim.
Is there anything that can be done, or is it just one to leave to the insurer and accept and move on?
Shame no dashcam, Daily Mail publicity would have got the police making it a priority.Is there anything that can be done, or is it just one to leave to the insurer and accept and move on?
I would call/tweet/write to the company concerned with the pics, chances are they may be a reputable firm who won't be happy with the driver and he may get hauled in (pun intended).
Nickyboy said:
Did the registration come from the trailer or the tractor unit?
If it came from the trailer then it'll almost certainly be an Eastern European tractor unit running under the companys name. European trailers have a different registration to the tractor unit.
In Europe the trailers and tractor units can be registered as seperate vehicles but they should both be insured. Your insurance should pay out but whether they can then recover their losses from the haulage firm on the trailer or the haulier who may be using it under contract could well depend on how the claim gets categorised and affects your premiums moving forward.If it came from the trailer then it'll almost certainly be an Eastern European tractor unit running under the companys name. European trailers have a different registration to the tractor unit.
Nickyboy said:
Did the registration come from the trailer or the tractor unit?
If it came from the trailer then it'll almost certainly be an Eastern European tractor unit running under the companys name. European trailers have a different registration to the tractor unit.
Yep, reg comes from trailer unit unfortunately. I am now in contact with MD of trailer hire company who is being quite helpful and has said he will source the haulage company for me and provide me with their details. My understanding is we can then claim off their UK Insurance Agent via MIB. However, if he doesn't provide the haulage co. info I suspect we'll be stuffed and will just get the wife's insurance co. to sort.If it came from the trailer then it'll almost certainly be an Eastern European tractor unit running under the companys name. European trailers have a different registration to the tractor unit.
Defconluke said:
In Europe the trailers and tractor units can be registered as seperate vehicles but they should both be insured. Your insurance should pay out but whether they can then recover their losses from the haulage firm on the trailer or the haulier who may be using it under contract could well depend on how the claim gets categorised and affects your premiums moving forward.
And that's the rub. At a wild guess it's probably £1,500 of damage. The wife's excess is £400 and there's a renewal in 6 weeks time. I don't believe the insurance co. will go chasing Eastern European hauliers for £1,100, so it will eventually become a fault claim, so a likely £600 cost to us.Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff