Involved in car accident 3 years ago, now my insurance company say I am liable?

ozzie54

Hi,

Would appreciate some advice with this please, will try to keep it short. Three years ago i was involved in a car accident. Completely not my fault the other driver was in an unfamilar area and drove through a red light hitting me side on. No independent witnesses, after much toing and froing was advised by solictors to accept 50:50, as this had been ongoing for over two years i reluctantly accepted this.

Now, out of the blue, i have received a letter to inform me that the other party is taking civil action against me for personal injuries caused. I have received a letter from my insurers solictors saying that the accident was caused by my negligence and no liability is attached to the other party. They want me to sign a statement of truth. Have rang insurers, they just tell me not to worry about this. Am worried though as not really sure what i should do next.

If anyone could give me an insight into the legalities of this or has been in a similar position, i really would appreciate some advice.

Premier_2

Let me get this right.

You claim the other driver drove through a red light and hit you side on yet your solicitor at the time suggested you accept 50:50 which you did?

Something doesn't sound right there.

Anyway, we can't turn the clock back now can we?
You already have a 'fault' claim on your insurance history, even if it was 50:50.
Your own insurers solicitors are now asking to sign a form and they are prepared to accept full liability rather than just 50:50? You may as well. You've nothing to lose - your insurance company is paying anyway.

ozzie54

Hi, I didn't accept 50:50 lightly! I wanted to take the other party to court but as there were no independent witnesses my insurance company would not back me, so really had no alternative. I haven't had experience of this before hence why i'm asking for advice.

plane_boy2000

Just send anything you get to your insurers (at the time of the accident) to manage - they handled your claim.

I would guess that this is being driven by one of those injury / accident solictors who have probably pushed the guy to claim all this time later.

Have to be honest though if the accident was clearly his fault then I can believe that you were advised to accept 50/50......

MrsE_2

plane_boy2000 wrote: »

Just send anything you get to your insurers (at the time of the accident) to manage - they handled your claim.

I would guess that this is being driven by one of those injury / accident solictors who have probably pushed the guy to claim all this time later.

Have to be honest though if the accident was clearly his fault then I can believe that you were advised to accept 50/50......

I can well believe it:mad::mad::mad::mad:

A lorry driver mistakenly believed my DH had cut him up, so he chased him down the road (central London:rolleyes::eek:). He deliberately drove into his side & ripped his wing mirror off.

They came to a halt (think it happened almost at a set of lights). The guy gets out screaming that you cut me up 1/4 of a mile down the road.
DH clicked (because he didn't even take any notice of him until he was steering into the side of him) that he done it deliberately & had "chased him" down the road.
DH took his lorry keys off him & called the police - he figured he must be drunk or on drugs to carry on like that.
They came & breath tested. However when DH accused him of driving into him deliberately in front of the police he told the police it was an accident, so he's admitted to a WPC that he drove into DH.

Sounds open & shut:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Well because there were no drink or drugs or people damage its a sort it out with insurance job.

He (lorry driver) after ADMITTING to the police he drove into DH accidentally told his firm & therefore their insurance it was an accident.

Insurance weren't interested in getting police statement & fighting it as lorry had no damage & only wing mirror for DH & wanted him to go 50:50.

He wouldn't, it dragged out for nearly two years. In the end he tracked down the WPC himself (as the insurance just weren't interested) & she still had her notes (even remembered the case) & gave her direct police (rather than central) contact details & she told them he admitted his fault to her.

ONLY THEN did they go to the other insurers with this & the other insurers dropped it & paid out.

DH had massively increased insurance premiums for two years.

They are USELESS:mad::mad::mad:


I also believe the guy should be proscuted for wasting time & money & lying. He gave the police the details of what happened, left the accident & decided to lie to his work & their insurance & put my DH to financial disadvantage & hours wasted trying to sort it out & walked off scot free:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Their should be some comeback for people who are found to lie in insurance claims:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

ozzie54

Thanks for the replies. Accident was other drivers fault, (honestly)! Problem is with no witnesses I couldn't prove it! After two years of arguing with insurers/solicitors (about wanting to take the driver to court) felt i had no option but to take 50:50. Now though feel aggreived that after all this time insurers are telling me to accept full liability? The other driver has caused a lot of stress by lying and in the end they get off scot free? It's just plain daft.

colino

You have my sympathies. I had a similar situation three years ago and MY insurance company paid out to an insurance fraudster and tore up three years of my NCB. A hard lesson on the true price of "Cheap" car insurance and a warning not to get insured by an over marketed company fronted by a third rate actor in a sailor suit.

zzzLazyDaisy

Three years ago? A bit more? A bit less?

The reason I ask is that the time limit for going to court for personal injury claims is 3 years. To be fair, if the person didn't know they were injured at the time, and couldn;t reasonably have known, then the three years runs from the date they knew or should have known. But if we are talking about a broken arm, for example, the other person is almost out of time - if not already

ozzie54

Hi, thanks again for replies. Accident happened 15th November 2006, no broken bones on either side. I have been sent a copy of drivers second medical report, dated August 2009 Claiming to still be in pain etc. The report also says driver has not consulted their own GP at all in the last two years. Like I say, a bit aggrieved being told I have to admit full liability to this.

Chippy_Minton_2

ozzie54 wrote: »

Hi,

They want me to sign a statement of truth. Have rang insurers, they just tell me not to worry about this. Am worried though as not really sure what i should do next.

How can you sign something you don't believe to be true?

ozzie54

Hi Chippy, that's why I'm here asking for advice. Never been in this situation before so wondering what will happen if I do/don't sign.