Got into an accident - Need advice

[JonsMazda]

Today approx. 7:50pm going northbound on bathurst and lonsdale, I was on the right lane and this toyota matrix decided to turn into my lane from the left cause there was a car infront of her on the left lane turning left. I got out of the car and tried to get a witness but they just all drove by :flaming even a TTC bus right behind me didn't even stop. I called 911 and they advise me to go to a collision reporting center. Anywho, I got all her insurance info, drivers license, phone # and such, she admitted her fault and told me she'll pay cash to repair the damages on my car. BTW she didn't grab my insurance info, just a quick peek at my drivers license and exchanged phone # and we left the scene.

At around 10:20pm I decided to call her up and apparently this guy picked up and told me that it was my fault :flaming:flaming:flaming that I was trying to make a left turn onto her lane which was obviously a lie :flaming:flaming:flaming So he demanded my insurance info and such. I said ok whatever, bye.

Went to the reporting collision center and gave my info and so forth, called up my insurance company to file a claim.

Have I missed any important steps here? Please help, any advise appreciated as this is my first accident.

[JonsMazda]

BTW The cop at the collision center estimated the damage to be around 3000 dollars worth of damages. Both doors on left, front bumpers and rear bumpers were damaged, but still drivable.

[Fuman]

Did you take pictures?
If you did, and took them from far away enough, it should prove your innocence

[yanky.ng]

Today approx. 7:50pm going northbound on bathurst and lonsdale, I was on the right lane and this toyota matrix decided to turn into my lane from the left cause there was a car infront of her on the left lane turning left. I got out of the car and tried to get a witness but they just all drove by :flaming even a TTC bus right behind me didn't even stop. I called 911 and they advise me to go to a collision reporting center. Anywho, I got all her insurance info, drivers license, phone # and such, she admitted her fault and told me she'll pay cash to repair the damages on my car. BTW she didn't grab my insurance info, just a quick peek at my drivers license and exchanged phone # and we left the scene.

At around 10:20pm I decided to call her up and apparently this guy picked up and told me that it was my fault :flaming:flaming:flaming that I was trying to make a left turn onto her lane which was obviously a lie :flaming:flaming:flaming So he demanded my insurance info and such. I said ok whatever, bye.

Went to the reporting collision center and gave my info and so forth, called up my insurance company to file a claim.

Have I missed any important steps here? Please help, any advise appreciated as this is my first accident.

if you have her all info then there's no problem..but now as you have reported the accident and if she doesn't go to report the accident then they will charge her
1) fail to report the accident and several other charges( personal experience when i had an accident the other party reported it and i didn't go the same day so a cop called me and left message that if i didn't go to report the accident they'll charge me )

what did your insurance company said whose fault was it?

as you said that she don't have your info ..probably they will try to negotiate with you that they will pay for the repair bla bla bla...but you already have reported the accident so no chance .....so if you have full coverage and you are at no fault then you'll get your car fixed and your insurance premium won't increase, if its your fault and you have full coverage still your car will be fixed but your insurance premium will increase.....

[Fuman]

If the other party lies, which is the case here, its his word against theirs...
pain in the ass.
I hope the OP has video/pics of the accident scene

yanky, the problem is the police will call her to let her know an accident has been reported against her, just like they called you.

[tweak_s]

One word of a party against the other is always a hard case, but if you have good pictures it should help to prove your innocence.

Also the fact hat she didn't take down your insurance info is also quite strange, i don't know if it'll help your case though.

[Olestra]

Sounds to me like she may not have insurance.

The fact that you reported the accident immediately and had her insurance info while she has no information and has not filed a report should work in your favour.

Good luck!

[MistaChin]

Yeah, whats the rule? It must be reported within 24 hours of the collision?

Good luck OP. We've all had our accidents.

[JonsMazda]

Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated. One piece of info i left out which can be vital is that I made her sign the description of what happened.

I wrote:

"BLue mazda got swiped by Black Toyota Matrix"

and she signed it.

[towelsnap]

well you got her to sign it and without pics it's all you have..... for one she ran back to her man and said its your fault... why not she won't be in shit right lol.

Call her back , state you have documentation that says she's at fault she signed for it, say we can do this the easy or hard way. and the fact she barely looked at your insurance means she wants to settle for sure with cash and she's probably been in an accident before.

[bluntman]

Just call your insurance and get it over with. You have taken all necessary steps and taken the necessary information, let the insurance companies handle it. Just be thankful no one was hurt.

[JovianGhost]

Just call your insurance and get it over with. You have taken all necessary steps and taken the necessary information, let the insurance companies handle it. Just be thankful no one was hurt.

The biggest problem I have with that is that the stupid ******* insurance companies will always try to find a way to put you at fault, or just jack up your premiums either way.

[bluntman]

There are fault determination rules and legislation that they must follow. As for raising your premiums, the easiest way to send them a message is to switch companies once your renewal is up.

[Fuman]

Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated. One piece of info i left out which can be vital is that I made her sign the description of what happened.

I wrote:

"BLue mazda got swiped by Black Toyota Matrix"

and she signed it.
hopefully thats will do.
If there is a next time, you need more details, just as time/date/location, and a more precise paragraph on what happened + pics / vids.

best of luck Jon

[FONZ]

BTW The cop at the collision center estimated the damage to be around 3000 dollars worth of damages. Both doors on left, front bumpers and rear bumpers were damaged, but still drivable.

$3,000? Meh , not that bad compared to me.

[mazdabetty]

awww wow that really sucks... sorry to hear. Can't trust anyone :(

I think you might have a case if you were on your regular route on your way home or something, thus having no reason to get into the left turning lane, like she claimed. Not too sure about that one, but you can definitely try argue that.

Also, I might be wrong here but is there a law where you have to remain at the scene of a collision until an officer arrives if the damage is over $750? Or did I dream that one up? :chuckle If you get someone to check both vehicles over they would be able to determine who is at fault, depending on where the damage is located and the direction of the scratches etc.

Hope everything works out for you, if she gets away with it at least she will have to live with that guilt for the rest of her life (not to mention karma x10000000!!! lol) At the very least you have a signature from her. Smart move. :)

[cwp_sedan]

That sucks man. Other than taking pictures you've done everything I would have done. Hopefully things get worked out quickly for you.

[jonjon72]

That sucks man. Other than taking pictures you've done everything I would have done. Hopefully things get worked out quickly for you.


+1

Always take a few pics of the accident and the surrounding area. Better to be safe than sorry. Thank god of cell phone camera's!

Good luck and hopefully you don't end up getting screwed over.

[Soyabean]

I think you are fine. As long as you report the accident, i dont see why there is a problem. Plus you got her insurance info and everything. Normally people would not give out policy number unless they are at fault. So by her giving u this info, its a good start. Plus u got her to sign a paper as well. I think it'll work out in the end for u

Earlier this year, i was in a hit and run situation. I was driving and the guy side swiped me and sent me spinning. He drove off. I reported it to the police station right away at like (2:30am and it was also the night Fast and Furious (4th one) came out). Next day I called insurance and i took it to a body shop. In the end, i only had to pay the deductible and my premium didnt go up.

I wish u best of luck

[Junior]

Unfortunately, this isn't as clear cut as you might think.

As mentioned, pictures of the scene would have been ideal, or even a witness (I know you tried but that was vital) ... As far as you reporting the accident, it's good that you did it immmediately. Whether or not the other person reports the accident or not has nothing to do with anything.

You called your insurance and gave them your account of what happened.

If the stories of the events of the accident are conflicting (in a case where you say one thing and the other driver says another) they will then have to go by witness (there are none) they will then turn to logic. (ie: if you got rear ended it's a clear cut case) ... but since it seems like a lane change type of accident and no officer showed up on the scene to lay charges, you're deemed to be half at fault.

The stories are contradicting and therefore your insurance will cover your damages and theirs will cover theirs. You will pay 50% of your deductible (if you have a deductible) and the rest is history. It's a 50/50 case.

Sucks, but true.

[Junior]

I think you are fine. As long as you report the accident, i dont see why there is a problem. Plus you got her insurance info and everything. Normally people would not give out policy number unless they are at fault. So by her giving u this info, its a good start. Plus u got her to sign a paper as well. I think it'll work out in the end for u


This is incorrect information. By law, when involved in a collision the persons involved must exchange insurance company name and policy numbers. Nothing else, not even a driver's license.

You are only required to surrender your driver's license to a police officer.

Phone numbers, plate numbers and other stuff are for filing the report.

[Flagrum_3]

awww wow that really sucks... sorry to hear. Can't trust anyone :(

I think you might have a case if you were on your regular route on your way home or something, thus having no reason to get into the left turning lane, like she claimed. Not too sure about that one, but you can definitely try argue that.

Also, I might be wrong here but is there a law where you have to remain at the scene of a collision until an officer arrives if the damage is over $750? Or did I dream that one up? :chuckle If you get someone to check both vehicles over they would be able to determine who is at fault, depending on where the damage is located and the direction of the scratches etc.

Hope everything works out for you, if she gets away with it at least she will have to live with that guilt for the rest of her life (not to mention karma x10000000!!! lol) At the very least you have a signature from her. Smart move. :)

I believe it's you must report an accident if damages are over $1000.As for staying at the scene and waiting for the cops I'm not sure BUT, in this OP's case I believe thats where the error occurred.Considering the amount of damage caused and the fact no one would stop to play witness I would have called the cops again and asked for assistance, and tried to keep both vehicle's where they ended up....you never can be too careful lol.

Anyways as for the TTC driver you could have asked for his employee number and marked down the bus no. time and route, for contact later.As for expecting him to wait around with a bus full of paying customers....goodluk lol,

Anyways hope the OP get's the right outcome from this.....Don't trust anybody, especially when they're at fault.


_3

[Fuman]

police usually doesn't come unless someone is hurt, a child is involved, they happen to drive by and want to help.

[JonsMazda]

Thanks for all the help guys n gals. I brought my car to Supreme Auto Collision down at Clark Avenue in Thornhill and got a Suzuki Swift 2009 as a rental car. Going to wait till adjuster calls me hopefully by tomorrow.

[WeatherB]

I thought the fault determination rules for a side-swipe usually end up in a 50/50 if there are conflicting stories and no witnesses do they not? At least you have that signed paper, too bad it didn't say something like "It was my fault and I changed lanes and hit the Mazda" or something to that effect.

From the insurance's perspective, a 50/50 is still you being at fault. This is exactly what happened to me when someone reversed into me in a parking lot.

Pictures showing that the Matrix had crossed the line and hit you would have been good.

Keep in mind that once you report it to the collision centre, you can't make a cash deal anymore. The Collision centre will report the accident to both insurance companies.

Hope it all works out.

[MajesticBlueNTO]

R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 668, s. 10 (4). (http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_900668_e.htm) from the Fault Determination Rules describes your situation.

If that is indeed what you told your insurance company, the other driver is 100% at fault and you are not at fault.

[JonsMazda]

Here's an update. I'm 100% not at fault as per my insurance company. Currently my car is being repaired. Will conclude when everything is done.

[MistaChin]

Great to hear! Now when you get your car back, look over everything to make sure it's done right.