Woman claims I hit her car in parking lot

[KKB]

Just got word from a HS resource office that a woman is claiming I hit her car in a city football parking lot. She has photos of my bumper touching hers, my license plate & a small dent/pock she claims I caused.

I sure don't remember this--and I truly believe if I had hit a car hard enough to make any sort of damage I would have checked it out & left a note with the owner.

It is the front of my car & the back of her car...that is the strongest indicator that perhaps I did. But is it feasible she already had the dent and/or backed into the spot & is trying to get me to fix it?

It is only $200 so it will probably make more sense to pay out of pocket then go through insurance, ALTHOUGH we are going to call our insurance agent for advice as well.

Anyone had an experience like this before?

Thanks

 

[TreeFalls]

A photo doesn't prove much. Your two cars touching does not mean that you hit her, she could have hit you.

I had a somewhat similar experience- I found a note on my car in a parking lot saying my door had caused someone a dent on their car, and they were going to file a police report if I didn't call them. It is possible we dinged their car (my son was 3 at the time and tended to kick his door open), but I wasn't about to call them without knowing what I was getting in to. I was nervous and even called my insurance agent, but nothing came of it.

Edited to add- and if you hit her, and your cars remained touching long enough for her to snap a picture, you would probably remember it cause she would have banged on your window or called to you or something.

 

[Terapin]

Awfully coincidental that she happened to be near enough to catch that split second event with a photo. More likely, she posed the car touching yours and is trying to scam you.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Just got word from a HS resource office that a woman is claiming I hit her car in a city football parking lot. She has photos of my bumper touching hers, my license plate & a small dent/pock she claims I caused.

I sure don't remember this--and I truly believe if I had hit a car hard enough to make any sort of damage I would have checked it out & left a note with the owner.

It is the front of my car & the back of her car...that is the strongest indicator that perhaps I did. But is it feasible she already had the dent and/or backed into the spot & is trying to get me to fix it?

It is only $200 so it will probably make more sense to pay out of pocket then go through insurance, ALTHOUGH we are going to call our insurance agent for advice as well.

Anyone had an experience like this before?

Thanks

So, like she backed into you while you were going forward? Or like you pulled up too far into a spot? If you honestly were 100% sober and awake and remember this event, I would not pay...I would contest.

And how'd she get your number?

See, I leave notes or try to find anyone I hit - it's karma - and I've paid out the 3 times I was at fault (and got someone to pay me the one time they were)...I have never failed to know when I have hit someone or they have hit me - you can't miss it...it's loud...

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I had something similar like this happen to me. The lady called me at home, wanting money, etc. I said, "let's go make a police report." She hung up and I never heard from her again.

 

[Hikergirl]

Tis' the Season for Scamming.

Like the above poster, my dh had an incident with someone claiming he hit his car. My dh knew he didn't and told the person to go ahead and pursue legal action. Guess he must have been too busy to do it because dh never heard from him again.

 

[supersnoop]

Is it possible you forgot to set your brake and your car rolled into the other vehicle? Or did you pull too far into a parking spot and bump her over the line?

Oh, and DON'T CALL YOUR INSURANCE AGENT over a $200 dispute. Even if you don't file a claim, the incident will "go on your record," so to speak. The agent needs to document what happened in case it does become a bigger issue. Your premiums could increase much more than $200. And your deductible is likely much higher than that.

 

[supersnoop]

I had something similar like this happen to me. The lady called me at home, wanting money, etc. I said, "let's go make a police report." She hung up and I never heard from her again.

Like the above poster, my dh had an incident with someone claiming he hit his car. My dh knew he didn't and told the person to go ahead and pursue legal action. Guess he must have been too busy to do it because dh never heard from him again.

HS resource office

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but where I'm from, the school resource officer is a police officer, so they're already pursuing legal remedy and aren't afraid to get the cops involved.

 

[Ranger111]

What Supersnoop said. If you want to take the chance of your insurance rates spiked UP, just from your phone call to inquire alone, go ahead and call your insurance folks. If you rather not take that chance, leave insurance vultures out of the loop unless this escalates.

And, tell the other person to pound sand -- in a nice caring way, of course.

 

[lovin'fl]

Well, DH's annoying habit of parking in the first spot when entering a parking lot (like first as in farthest from the place you're going and close to the enter/exit road) might not be such a bad idea after all. Sorry OP. Sounds like a scam.

 

[alohamom]

Your two cars touching does not mean that you hit her, she could have hit you.

This is what I was thinking as well.

 

[ellie05]

This doesn't sound right. She is saying you hit her hard enough to make a dent then you would have felt it.

Two weeks ago I was coming back from Disney and I was in the coming off the highway in the ramp going to make a right. There was a yield sign and it was a pretty busy intersection. I was waiting for a clearing and I got rear ended. It was a soft bump. When we pulled over she told me her foot slipped off the break. I didn't get a dent at all I got some of her paint that buffed out and what made the worst damage to the paint was that her license plate stock out and she didn't have a cover so the screw took off maybe a .25 inch of paint. In a parking lot I would think you are going about the same speed I don't think you will cause a bump. Did your car have some paint or anything on it? Are there cameras ? Don't call your insurance agent. I just don't believe this story.

Make sure you do a background check on her if this goes any further. My MIL got hit by someone which end up being a scammer they found out she did the same thing to 3 other people and end up getting arrested.

 

[tarheel618]

Did you meet with the HS resource officer? Im assuming that if he/she is involved then the incident happened on a school campus? I would ask him what evidence is there to prove she didn't set up the photo for the claim.

 

[AntimonyER]

I bumped into a car on black friday, even only moving 2 mph it was a jarring stop. Even then, there was no damage on either car. There is NO WAY you would hit a vehicle hard enough to cause damage bumper to bumper and not know it.

 

[ebradley23]

It is highly unlikely that you hit another vehicle hard enough to do damage without noticing it yourself. My husband has bumped a car while parking and it wasn't enough to cause any damage to either car. We knew it happened though. We felt it in our car, and the other car rocked back and forth several times. It was obvious that he hit it even though I was looking down at my phone when it happened.

Accidents happen, but this doesn't sound like it was caused by you. Even if she gets the police or insurance involved, parking lot incidents are usually classified as no fault. Unless someone claims fault, each person's individual insurance would pay to fix only their car damage.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It is highly unlikely that you hit another vehicle hard enough to do damage without noticing it yourself. My husband has bumped a car while parking and it wasn't enough to cause any damage to either car. We knew it happened though. We felt it in our car, and the other car rocked back and forth several times. It was obvious that he hit it even though I was looking down at my phone when it happened.

Accidents happen, but this doesn't sound like it was caused by you. Even if she gets the police or insurance involved, parking lot incidents are usually classified as no fault. Unless someone claims fault, each person's individual insurance would pay to fix only their car damage.

I def. agree something is very off with the woman's story to the OP and my gut tells me it seems more like a staged incident if there really are photos. I wouldn't be bringing in the insurance company either in this situation until more information from the other party can be discussed.

That being said it isn't necessarily true that parking lot incidents are usually classified as no fault unless someone claims fault. I've seen plenty of times where the insurance company reviews all evidence available, talks to the persons involved and then assigns 50%/50% fault if it's unclear who caused it. Depending on your state laws, your insurance company, and your insurance product you are in a 50% at fault can affect your insurance rates. It isn't always 100%, 0% or even 50%/50% too. Sometimes a person is found X% at fault.

 

[KKB]

Thank you for your thoughts--most seem similar to mine.
When DH emailed her about contacting our agent (who happens to be his aunt so the GOOD news is I don't have to worry about rate hikes for a question!), she was "well, it is only $200 so you probably don't want to submit it)
All I could think was how do we know that I hit her (and she didn't back into me?) or that the dent wasn't there before.
I don't think it would hold up in small claims court.
Yeah, I have bumped someones bumper pulling into a spot--I ALWAYS BACK UP, get out & look. Have NEVER caused damage. And the fact that I did NOT back up tells me, that it wasn't me.
Again THANK YOU!

 

[mom2rose&john]

When did the incident happen and what was is the time span from the incident to you being notified? Do you remember this car parked in front of you in the parking lot? Did the HS resource officer write up a report? Or is he giving you a courtesy call? I would ask for a police report before I paid any expense if you are at all doubtful that you did what she is claiming.

 

[KKB]

Good idea. This happened at the END OF AUGUST & we are just hearing of it now...

 

[UCFGrad01]

Even if she gets the police or insurance involved, parking lot incidents are usually classified as no fault. Unless someone claims fault, each person's individual insurance would pay to fix only their car damage.

No fault and comparative negligence laws are two very different things. No fault is a coverage - usually medical - and it means that your insurance will pay for your medical billing regardless of who was at fault for the accident. States have comparative negligence laws, some are 51/49 states meaning that if the other party would have to be 51% at fault or more for you to collect from their insurance. There's really not "no fault" when it comes to liability - someone obviously did something they shouldn't have or there wouldn't have been a collision.

OP, my question (as a long-time claim adjuster) would be did you see someone suddenly jump out of a car and start taking pictures? If this person is claiming you hit their car and "has pictures to prove it", how/when were those pictures taken? I would sure hope someone would notice if they bumped a car and someone suddenly jumped out and started taking pictures! Or are they claiming you hit their car and then just left yours up against theirs in the parking spot? Also a situation I'd think you'd notice. So yeah, if that claim was on my desk, I'd be super suspicious. The person claiming they were hit has the burden of proof, it's not on you to prove you didn't do it.