Car damage from tree branch

NBLondon

But the OP drives down this road daily... So was the accident the day after the shrubs were cut back or was this debris lying around for a couple of weeks?

LeafGreen

Abby0001 wrote: »

Unfortunately the branch still hit my car

It sounds more like you hit the branch, but the scenario is rather unclear to me and would benefit from further clarification.

Ergates

Abby0001 wrote: »

Unfortunately the branch still hit my car...

No, your car hit the branch, not the other way around. You drove into a stationary object - you have pretty much zero chance of getting someone else to pay for the damage.

eschaton

The only chance is no chance.

EdGasketTheSecond

eschaton wrote: »

The only chance is no chance.

But there's two hopes and one of them's Bob

iwb100

"Sorry mr farmer but your tree moved in front of my car you need to pay for your trees mistake".

Look it may have been unfortunate. Accidents happen. But given the OP drives down the road every day it isn't like you don't know it. A branch big enough to break a wing mirror is surely visible?

Gloomendoom

Just a long scratch which I polished out. I went back later with a bow saw and cut off the branch ....never thought about compo. but there you go, I'm just an old-timer.

I've done the same thing. I got fed up clipping the same branch every time I met a car coming the other way on a sharp bend.

Robisere

Reminds me of that old "Insurance excuses" joke: "Officer I was driving along minding my own business, when a tree jumped out and bit my car!"

Last week I was driving a Lincolnshire country road, lined by old trees. I stopped when I saw a Cadent Gas van parked obliquely across the road. I went to get out when the driver saw my stick and said "It's OK: just got to remove debris from the road." He and his passenger began to remove huge branches from a dead old tree that had been broken by heavy winds. A passing cyclist joined them and they all threw the wreckage into the fields.

I thanked these 3 guys for the good job and asked if they knew who was responsible for the tree, which really ought to be felled as it was obviously very dead: no green growth at all, bark all stripped, limbs dead white. He said "I have informed Highways: I'm local and I know the farmer. As the treeline is several metres from the field, it is Highways responsibility."

Abby001, shame about your car damage, but I really don't think you have a case. You still haven't told us if the branch was still on the tree, or had fallen into the roadside.

mattyprice4004

Not a chance unfortunately - unless it jumped out in front of you, you should have been paying attention to the road and seen it coming.
Always drive at a speed where you can stop dead for an approaching hazard - or at least so you can avoid it.

People these days seem to spend more time faffing on their phone / distracted by their kids / playing with the radio than watching the road - not saying you were doing this, but it's food for thought for others who may do so.