personal injury claim 2 years later.....

smugbear2007

I have a dilemma and need some advice please.

2 years ago (october 2009) an "unidentified" driver hit me and drove off. I got the reg number of vehicle and description but the owner of the vehicle said it had been stolen and they had not been driving. The vehicle and owner were insured though.

I approached a personal injury solicitor who said they would deal with on my behalf and claim for damage to car (value £1000) and for personal injury too. I had treatment and made a full recovery since. However, I have been keeping the damaged vehicle in a council garage costing £20 a month for 2 years= £440 storage costs.

I got the feeling my solicitors were struggling with the claim as the insurer of other vehicle wouldn't play ball and were saying their driver wasnt driving. Then my solicitor said we would claim through MIB, 6 months later it was back to claiming on the other insurer. OK i will be patient, leave it to them to do what they feel is best.

2 years later (oct 2011) my solicitor emails me to say the other insurer has made an offer of £1250 which my solicitor feels is reasonable.

I responded by saying I am happy with the amount for the PI of £1250 but what about the damage to my car (£1000) plus the storage costs (£440).
They rather curtly responded by saying that "we feel the offer is reasonable and is similar to the one we would get if we went to court" and that the other insurer isnt duty bound to pay out of pocket expenses???????????

surely this can't be true as through no fault of my own I have had a £1000 effectively written off and I have paid £440 to rent a garage to store the car as other insurer has only just made an offer to sort it out 2 years later.
I am wanting £1250 PI + £1000CAR+ £440 storage costs. Am I entitled to this and do they have to pay it or is my solicitor right?
I have a feeling the solicitor just wants a quick end to get their money for the work they have done.

Any advice/ ways forward would be appreciated.

thanks

chanz4

why didnt you let them store it? Think you ambulance chasser company maybe right, if you disgaree take it via your own insurance also why have you not had the veichle repaired?

alistair.long

The solicitor's are having you on.

You are entitled to the costs of the damage to the car aswell as some storage.

What you should do is ask the solicitors to get the car examined or the third party to examine it. And also send a letter outlining this and send copies of the rent you have been paying.

It would appear the Solicitors are asking you to accept the offer so that they get paid and are not looking at your intrests

missile

You are entitled to claim all damages and out of pocket expenses.

Many ambulance chasers are primarily interested in recovering their fees. It seems you chose the wrong solicitor?

smugbear2007

nobody has collected the car as nobody has admitted liability in the last 2 years until now.
as i was insured third party my insurer didnt want to know.

The vehicle is uneconomical to be repaired and I wasnt sinking my own money into repairing a car that I may never get back.

solicitor has emailed me this morning to say they will claim for the car and the other insurer want to view it...semms to be moving faster now :T