Stress

[tinyjo]

You may remember (or you may not) that 8 months ago, I ran into the back of someone at a junction while I was moving Alex's stuff to my house. I gave them the details of the rental company, I didn't get my deposit back on the car, I figured it was all done and dusted by now. But no. I got a letter in the post this morning from a firm of solicitors saying that he's suing for whiplash, head injury and neck injury and I should pass the details onto my insurance company (or in this case, the insurance company of the rental people)! At the time of the accident he seemed completely fine - no rubbing the neck or anything - and how are they supposed to tell after this length of time anyway! So I've been stressed and paranoid about it all day, wondering whether the insurance people will stick up for me and what the limit is on that anyway and all this sort of thing. I'm convinced that they'll find some way to make me pay for it all. The accident was my fault and I'm happy to be responsible for the damage to his car being repaired but this just seems like an opportunistic grab. And only this morning the Today programme was telling me that we don't really live in a compensation culture.

Comments

Car Accidents

[(Anonymous)]

Try not to freak...they're just trying to scare you. Don't answer at all. Mail the letter to the rental company and let them handle it. Send it certified mail so you get a receipt (costs $4.42)...You are totally out of the picture until the people you hit have exhausted anything they can get from the rental car's insurance company and then they can go after your insurance company (if you have one) but it could be years and years. Keep copies of everything to do with it, don't worry about it and don't talk to anyone. You have a 95% chance that this will never amount to anything. Believe me, I'm 65 and my husband and I live in a large city in Texas and have had our share of fender benders. Relax. The last one he was hit at an intersection by a one-eyed man--and, yes, the guy had a valid driver's license that specified the driver was blind in one eye. Amazing.

Incidentally, when you rent a car, ONLY take the extra insurance they try to sell you if you have no liability insurance of your own. Otherwise it's a rip-off.

Hang in there and for goodness sake, save us all and vote Bush out of office. Goodnight!

Re: Car Accidents

[tinyjo.livejournal.com]

Thanks - it's nice to be reassured about these things. I've got insurance from the rental company as I don't have my own and I've forwarded it on to them. I guess now I just wait and see.

Hang in there and for goodness sake, save us all and vote Bush out of office.

Don't think I wouldn't like to - he drives me nuts! Unfortunatly thought, I'm a Brit so I don't get to vote :)