I was involved in a minor fender bender on the 13th. I was in a one lane construction area that was stop & go for a half mile. At one point, everyone slammed on their brakes. I was close to hitting the gal in front of me and the guy behind me hit me, bumping my car a bit closer to the one in front of me, without making contact with the car in front of me.
Well, the gal in front of me hops out of her car and demands my insurance information. I said, "Why? I didn't hit you." I pointed to the cars, which had 6 inches between them. She said, "I just need to be careful." I said, "Why? You weren't involved in this accident." She said, "I just want to be on the safe side."
I gave her my info and headed to the end of my car, which was damaged to the tune of $1000. The gentleman that hit me was more than cordial. He provided me his info & was very apologetic. I told him about how the woman in front of me was behaving so he went to the front of my car and I showed him that her car & mine made no contact and there was absolutely no damage to either car.
A cop showed up, asked me and the guy if we were okay and both of us said we were fine. He started walking towards the woman in front of me and I told him, "I did not hit her. There is no damage to her car or mine and there are 6 inches between the two vehicles." The cop asked the woman, "Did she hit you?" She responded, "I just want to be on the safe side and get her information." The cop said, "Ma'am, either she hit you or she didn't. Did you feel her hit you?" The woman said, "Yes, she hit me."
My jaw hit the ground.
I didn't think twice about it, honestly, after that. I was annoyed by her behavior but I never dreamed in a million years she would file a claim with my insurance. There was no damage, how can she claim I hit her with no damage to her car or mine?
Well, I just found out today she filed a claim stating she was "injured" in the accident. I am LIVID! Granted, I have insurance, its no big deal, BUT its people like this woman that make ALL our rates go up. Anyway, I called my insurance and they recorded a statement. I told them I would do whatever I needed to do to assist them in investigating this woman and her "injuries". I am going in tomorrow to get pictures taken of my front bumper, as well.
Can anyone give me any advice? I do NOT want her to benefit from her false claims. What can I do to help my insurance company? Do I need an attorney?
Well, the gal in front of me hops out of her car and demands my insurance information. I said, "Why? I didn't hit you." I pointed to the cars, which had 6 inches between them. She said, "I just need to be careful." I said, "Why? You weren't involved in this accident." She said, "I just want to be on the safe side."
I gave her my info and headed to the end of my car, which was damaged to the tune of $1000. The gentleman that hit me was more than cordial. He provided me his info & was very apologetic. I told him about how the woman in front of me was behaving so he went to the front of my car and I showed him that her car & mine made no contact and there was absolutely no damage to either car.
A cop showed up, asked me and the guy if we were okay and both of us said we were fine. He started walking towards the woman in front of me and I told him, "I did not hit her. There is no damage to her car or mine and there are 6 inches between the two vehicles." The cop asked the woman, "Did she hit you?" She responded, "I just want to be on the safe side and get her information." The cop said, "Ma'am, either she hit you or she didn't. Did you feel her hit you?" The woman said, "Yes, she hit me."
My jaw hit the ground.
I didn't think twice about it, honestly, after that. I was annoyed by her behavior but I never dreamed in a million years she would file a claim with my insurance. There was no damage, how can she claim I hit her with no damage to her car or mine?
Well, I just found out today she filed a claim stating she was "injured" in the accident. I am LIVID! Granted, I have insurance, its no big deal, BUT its people like this woman that make ALL our rates go up. Anyway, I called my insurance and they recorded a statement. I told them I would do whatever I needed to do to assist them in investigating this woman and her "injuries". I am going in tomorrow to get pictures taken of my front bumper, as well.
Can anyone give me any advice? I do NOT want her to benefit from her false claims. What can I do to help my insurance company? Do I need an attorney?
