Neighbour's Daughter Backed into My Car - Avoiding Contact / Denying Liability

Langus4199 on 24/12/2019 - 01:50
Last edited 24/12/2019 - 09:50 by 1 other user

I'll keep this brief, on 20th Dec one of my neighbors backed into my car (parked on the sidewalk in front of my house) and drove off, but thankfully a tradie saw it and notified me immediately.

The damage to the car was pretty minor; just a loosened bumper and a couple of scratches but it still required some repair. So I went over to my neighbors and spoke to the mother of the driver (as the daughter was not home) and gave her my number so her daughter could contact me. So a couple days past and I visit again and the daughter was still not at home so the mother basically told me the same thing in addition to the daughter denying hitting my car. Another couple days past and at this point I have received 0 form of contact.

If this continues what are my options? Should I escalate this issue and bring it to the authorities? The damage is around $100-$200 which ain't huge but it's now become a matter of principle.

Any form of advice is greatly appreciated!

Automotive

Comments

  • psyren89 on 24/12/2019 - 02:17
    +7

    Report the accident to the police, make an insurance claim. If you don't have evidence (dashcam footage, the tradie's contact details), the result could go either way.

    • spackbace on 24/12/2019 - 02:58
      +19

      make an insurance claim.

      Wait, did you just assume OP has insurance? How long have you been around these forums?

      • JimmyF on 24/12/2019 - 10:03
        +6

        Yes I would assume all posters here don't have insurance unless advised otherwise.

      • psyren89 on 24/12/2019 - 10:26
        +5

        I was tired and my judgement impaired!

  • spackbace on 24/12/2019 - 02:57
    +29

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    News is travelling fast that ozbargain is the #1 place for automotive and legal needs. In this case, both!

    I suggest a slow process of courtship of the girls mum, till at some stage you get married and the girl becomes your step-daughter. At that point you can put your hand out for the money.

    • elgrande on 24/12/2019 - 10:10
      +6

      At this point the money would be coming out of OP's pocket anyways..

    • ausdday on 24/12/2019 - 11:22

      I believe OP is jv, trying to hide his identity

    • GoldenDragon888 on 24/12/2019 - 16:28
      +1

      Better still, you outlive the girls mother, and get her inheritance.

  • 87percent on 24/12/2019 - 06:42
    +2

    $1-$200 damage? You sure about that?

    • Euphemistic on 24/12/2019 - 07:18
      +3

      It’s not a lot is it.

      Get a quote, send a letter of demand.

  • [Deactivated] on 24/12/2019 - 07:20

    Slash their tyres

    • Euphemistic on 24/12/2019 - 07:40
      +7

      That’s a bit harsh. Just let one down every day until they pay.

      • JimmyF on 24/12/2019 - 10:02
        +2

        Just let one down every day until they pay.

        always do 2….. if you only do one they can swap the spare on and be on their way pretty quickily….. 2 though, thats a different story unless they have a pump :)

        • Euphemistic on 24/12/2019 - 10:22
          +1

          Maybe start with one and up the ante if they don’t get the message.

        • dasher86 on 24/12/2019 - 11:05
          +1

          Nah do one.
          When they swap out the spare do another.

  • SnoozeAndLose on 24/12/2019 - 07:47
    +6

    I think ozbargain only provide advice for $1000+ damage, don't we?

    • onetwothreefour on 24/12/2019 - 21:49

      Actually onlt for people who have more than 1 post 1 comment.

  • toniyellow on 24/12/2019 - 08:35
    +2

    You can report to the non-emergency police line but if no-one was injured they will not be interested.

    Contact your insurer

    or send a letter of demand
    https://financialrights.org.au/sample-letter/insurance-lette…
    and pursue them yourself
    https://mva.financialrights.org.au/dtop/ive-had-an-accident-…

  • JimmyF on 24/12/2019 - 10:01
    +2

    what are my options?

    For $100-200 damage, its not really worth you doing anything other than fixing it yourself and moving on. All paths will just cost you most money and stress than paying the $200 to have it fix now and moving on.

    Anyhow, if you have a axe to grind, then you could lodge a insurance claim with YOUR insurance (you have that right?), but you need to have proof the other party did the damage, you just can't randomly pick people out and say they did it. Maybe it was the mother who was driving and the tradie got it wrong?

    Do you have the tradie contact details?

    As the other party isn't admitting fault and you have no video proof, if you lodge a claim you'll end up not being able to provide the other at fault party, so you'll be up for your excess, which will be more than the $200 damage.

    • HardlyCharly on 24/12/2019 - 13:13
      -2

      Not true, all insurance requires is a witness. I know because I was scammed in that way, no damage to my car, parked in a different section of the car park, but blamed by one random as a witness and that was enough, not even 12 months of fighting it got me anywhere. I have front/back dashcams now. OP gets that tradie as a witness and it's a done deal.

      • JimmyF on 24/12/2019 - 13:41

        Doesn't sound right to me, otherwise you can just pick random peoples car out and never had a 'at fault' claim. I'm sure there is more to your story. You should have done a post here :)

  • roastchook on 24/12/2019 - 10:08
    +1

    Prawn shells in her hubcaps.

  • brendanm on 24/12/2019 - 10:40

    You were parked on the footpath? Naughty naughty.

    Send her a letter of demand, she will ignore it, you can then go to xcat or whatever it is nowadays and try to prove that she did it.

  • Kozhutki on 24/12/2019 - 13:06
    +2

    If there's no communication in the next week or two I would just forget about it, it's not large enough of a sum to get worked up over. It's still a chunk of money that you're throwing at essentially nothing but I mean shit happens, she's a (profanity), basically.

    • HardlyCharly on 24/12/2019 - 13:14
      -1

      That's why she should not be allowed to get away with it. It is absolutely worth the trouble.

      • Kozhutki on 24/12/2019 - 14:39
        +1

        I would agree if there was hard evidence, but there's not. Even with the tradie, it's still their word vs their neighbours and with the sum so low I don't think any authoritative power will care

  • Euphemistic on 24/12/2019 - 13:31

    Another option. Wait until she is home and back into her car and cause twice as much damage, then disappear.

  • capslock on 24/12/2019 - 14:20
    +1

    Similar thing happened to me except there was no witness but the damage on my car matched the damage on my neighbour's car that it was so obvious that they hit it. Called the police but the neighbour continually denied it. They ended up getting away with it.

    • Kozhutki on 24/12/2019 - 14:39

      How bad was your damage?

  • angus4199 on 24/12/2019 - 16:17
    +5

    After reading all the suggestions I have decided I will submit a letter of demand after repairing my vehicle. If she still doesn't reply i'll slash her tyres. Thanks everyone !

    • dasher86 on 24/12/2019 - 18:42
      +3

      No. no. No.
      Never do your own dirty work.
      Bikies!

    • SnoozeAndLose on 24/12/2019 - 23:34

      Seem problem solved, are you going to be disableduser12345?

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