Help please. being sued for 'car accident'

knitnut

Not sure were to put this.
My husband was driving my car and reversed into a taxi that had stopped to pick up a passenger. Damage to the cars was minimal (few scrapes and little dent at back) so both drivers agreed to my husband fixing both cars. Documents produced to police insurance, tax, etc all fine and no further action required by police. Now several days later we have received a solicitor’s letter saying passenger is claiming for “personal injury, loss and damage”. I would be prepared to proceed with this if he had broken legs or something but I believe him to be suffering more from compensationitis – no one else was injured in any way!- and is only in it to try and get money from us. Meanwhile I contacted my car insurance company. They want details over the phone so I am writing to solicitor to request details - police reports, statements, accident and emergency reports, specialists reports, photographic evidence, G.P. reports and records going back 5 years, pay details for the past 5 years, and any other relevant documents and have asked what he is claiming for. Like I said if he was actually injured or had some loss I would be happy to proceed but I don’t like being taken for a ride especially as we are not well off. Any advice please?

McKneff

If the people can provide evidence ie from doctors etc. you cant do a thing.

Let your insurance company do the running round, thats what you pay them for. And its them who will be paying out to the injured party, unfortunately your insurance premium will rise, but thats life.

Sorry,

saverbuyer

You need to contact your insurance company to contest the taxi claim. This is quite common in N.I. The insure company will appoint a defense solicitor. You do not need to do anything. Leave it with your insurance company solicitor. Depending on your insurance company it is highly likly they will go to court to argue it was low impact with little chance of personal injury. It will probably come down to your word against theirs. Chances are the driver has found a new "passanger" probably a friend who will probably go along with what the taxi driver says.

absoluteutopia

Taxi driver and the "passenger on a 50/50 split by the sounds of it, Its the NI way im sorry to say and why we are forced to pay so much for insurance

quintwins

altho i'd say he is completely fine, he is a taxi driver so could have had lose of earnings, i'd say he was considering this and got carried away when he saw £ signs, like others say leave it to your insurance company that what you pay them for

fadetogrey

sorry but all the posters are correct I think.It would be the same in england too,you can blame the lawers 4 U for this.Likely the "injured" party sees an easy £3000 for whiplash etc and I doubt no matter what you try to tell insurance company they will not bother going to court with this as the costs for those other well known pigs in the trough (lawyers) would be too much to get an honest outcome.

Mistral001

As others have said, pass the solicitor's letter to your insurance company.

Do not contact the driver of the other car and do not contact the solicitor who sent you the letter.

You do not have to do anything about contesting this. It will all be done by the insurance company or the insurance company's solicitor. More than likely a settlement will be agreed between the two insurance companies or their respective solicitors.

It is what you pay insurance for afterall.

Chickabee

Some people have no morals- making claims for false injuries. But then the way this society is heading nothing surprises me.

I do believe in Karma though, so "mister i've suddenly discovered i'm injured lets see how much money i can get" might just get unlucky in another way

BurntOut

Happened me last July. Rubbed my back tyre on a guys car, only mark was the black rubber, which I could of rubbed off. But told guy I was happy to fix anything. He worked for MIS Claims too, just my luck. It was less than minimal contact. I even asked at the scene, are you both ok & he replied o yea it was nothing sure.

Few weeks later solicitors letter in the door, both claiming personal injury (scumbags). Found out when renewing my insurance that they got in total £12k for !frig all. Obv him working for MIS Claims he knew exactly what to do.

Its a joke here in NI, hence why our insurance premiums are higher. People claiming for anything and everything.

knitnut

Thanks everyone for your replies. It's a joke all this but to put the icing on the cake I've now received a solicitors letter for the taxi driver !!!! That's both the passenger and taxi driver now claiming yet I know for a fact that the taxi driver has been working all along and the taxi is not off the road. Typical.

londondealer

Any chance the incident could have been recorded in a area covered by CCTV?