Car park Insurance Claim liability

bobgroups

HI,

got hit on the front side of my car while stationery in a car park bay at a local suerpmarket. Driver next me reversed out and swung out thinking there was no car next to him. He reversed out of his space. I reveresed into my space (i.e. car facing forward) and in some 10 secs after me parking into the bay he reveresed out and swung his steering therefore hitting driver side front of my car.

I just want to check is this clear cut his liability for the insurance claim? I managed to get him to write a note saying he was liable.

He has said when he got in his car the parking bay was empty. However I was stationary and parked when he hit me.

Any advise on how insurance company can percieve this and the short handwritten note i got him to sign is that all enough to conslusively prove i am not in any way responsible.

Appreciate any feedback.

Thanks

bengalknights

As you was parked then they didnt pay sufficient notice to all mirrors whilst manouvering, hence it is there fault

DaveF327

Reminds me of the old chap who denied all blame for hitting a parked car because "it wasn't there yesterday".

From what you say, you're absolutely right and well done for getting an admission of liability from him. This will absolutely screw his insurance company's attempts at defending the claim.

You were stationary, he hit you, and he admitted that his last look in your direction was before getting into his car - a significant amount of time before reversing - proving he didn't take effective observation before applying power to his vehicle.

bobgroups

Thanks i am going to ring my insurer shortly oh and we both belong to the same insurance company. Just curious do insurance companies accept a handwritten note of liability? The other guy's english was not very good and I literally wrote a couple of lines saying "I ............. am liable for the accident that occured as a result of me reversing out of the car parking bay and hitting the front wing of Mr ......... 's vehicle.

My back of mind concern was if he changes his story somehow and insurance company say it is 50/50 fault obviously not true as I was stationery. I think also from feedback above my case should be clear cut. 1 witness only gave a mob number but never answers his phone :-(

Robisere

" ... other guy's English was not very good...."

I am by no means a racist, but this sounds suspicious to me. Was he really insured? Did you actually see his documents? A hand written note means nothing in legal terms, what you need is a witness.

The reason I say this, is because of a similar case involving a friend. A gentleman of possibly Eastern European extraction damaged her motor, he was totally at fault and admitted it. She took his "Details" and when the Insurance company checked, he was not insured. It was not even his car, it was "pooled" by several more of his mates, only one of whom was insured to drive it. To cap all that, further investigation after eventual Police involvement, discovered that there was no current VED disc and the guy had no licence to drive anyway.

I would advise you to see if you can find a witness. If you can find the car again, try to see some form of insurance documentation, and the VED disc. (Road Tax)

bobgroups

hmm the fella was what seemed european extraction seemed scandinavian from his accent etc etc. drove back to the nearby road he lived and i waited in car he then gave me a slip of paper with policy number. I wish i asked to see the actual policy doc (lesson to learn). I hope we are same insurer and they can confirm his policy number is all ok.

dacouch

bengalknights wrote: »

As you was parked then they didnt pay sufficient notice to all mirrors whilst manouvering, hence it is there fault

Has a good chance of being 50/50

neilmcl

dacouch wrote: »

Has a good chance of being 50/50

I tend to agree No doubt he'll argue that you weren't there when he started the manoeuvre, you'll say you were, your word against his, no witnesses = 50/50.

Strider590

bobgroups wrote: »

HI,

got hit on the front side of my car while stationery in a car park bay at a local suerpmarket. Driver next me reversed out and swung out thinking there was no car next to him. He reversed out of his space. I reveresed into my space (i.e. car facing forward) and in some 10 secs after me parking into the bay he reveresed out and swung his steering therefore hitting driver side front of my car.

^^ This is why I added "cars that are parked nose first", to my list of cars not to park next to. I've seen this happen soooo many times.....

Reversing out of spaces, the driver is having to look through the rear window, checking left/right and at the same time make sure the front isn't going to hit anything. Reverse in, drive out and you mitigate this problem completely, why is it so hard for people to understand?

OP I feel for you, you park correctly and some numpty hits your car.....

Bravehearted_2

Strider590 wrote: »

^^ This is why I added "cars that are parked nose first", to my list of cars not to park next to. I've seen this happen soooo many times.....

Reversing out of spaces, the driver is having to look through the rear window, checking left/right and at the same time make sure the front isn't going to hit anything. Reverse in, drive out and you mitigate this problem completely, why is it so hard for people to understand?

OP I feel for you, you park correctly and some numpty hits your car.....

And the amount of times I've seen drivers reversing into a space a55 first and swiping cars next to them = gazillions.

Point is at one point you both have to reverse and be very observant. One isn't "better" than the other.

neilmcl

Strider590 wrote: »

OP I feel for you, you park correctly and some numpty hits your car.....

One isn't any more "correct" than the other. At the end of the day if you can't reverse your car into/out of a car park space without hitting the vehicle next to you then you're a pretty carp driver.