ok couple of weeks ago I got into a very minor accident in a library parking lot.
What happened was, there's a small separate lot for staff parking and I went in there by mistake so I was reversing out of the staff lot and there was a car that was coming into the lot (not the staff lot) and trying to park on the side, but I didn't see it coming so as I was reversing out my right rear corner of the bumper hit the left rear wheel arch and part of the bumper of the other car. We both got some scratches, noticeable but nothing major.
It was my first accident so I didn't know what to do, neither did she, but since I was the one reversing and not seen the other car I thought it was my fault and said let's not call the police I will take care of it, but her husband, who was on the phone with her told her to call the police to make sure. So police came and he wrote the report. I didn't say it was my fault to the police, matter of fact the police didn't ask anything, he just asked how it happened. After that the other driver, told me she will call me whenever she has time to get her car fixed at the shop that I know.

So now it's couple weeks later and she just called me. She said she went to a good shop that she knows and got the estimate of $1300, which is to paint the whole bumper and fix the dent on the wheel arch. It's way more than I expected.

Do you guys thinks it's totally my fault? BTW the other drive was an Asian lady and the angle of her car coming into the parking spot was totally wrong, as if she was trying to dodge my car. She did honk..like 0.5 seconds before contact. Honestly she could've seen my car reversing out because she was coming straight in my direction. Please see the picture below. My car is #1 and her car is #2. If I was her I would've either honks much earlier or stop and wait for my car to fully reverse out.



At this point I don't know what to do. Neither of us have called our insurances, at least at the time of the accident, and I haven't picked up the police report yet. What should I do? I really need some help and advice. Thanks guys.

 

you can take her to court since she was aisian and probably win... what does that have to do with it?

Since you drew a sketch i'll respond. you are at fault, exact same thing happened to my GF, she was at fault for backing into the other car. her trailor hitch went through the bumper of a neon with over 100K They exchanged info and that was that. turned out that the estimate she got to get it fixed was more than the car was worth so they were going to total it (so she said). We said we'll give you a few hundred, take it or leave it. i think we settled on $300

you have a police report so things are different on your side. i wouldn't involve your insurance if you can, see if you can work something out, maybe get a second opinion on the cost?

 

[QUOTE=ebbai,Feb 16 2011, 10:14 AM] but since I was the one reversing and not seen the other car I thought it was my fault.........

........She did honk..like 0.5 seconds before contact.

 

This is what insurance is for. Did you exchange insurance information?

 

same thing happened to me before.

I told my insurance, off the bat my insurance deemed it the other drivers fault. I had a police report of the incident and got his insurance and DL info.

Kinda funny but it cost 2500 to repair my car, insurance sent the bill to his insurance. They found out he actually didn't have insurance. And they sent the bill to collections. I believe the guy got a misdemeanor and his license suspended.

 

Take them to court or let the insurance deal with the fault. The damage will exceed your deductible most likely so it'll be cheaper in the long run to just pay that (if it's your fault) and get everything fixed. It's your first accident so it's not like your rates will go up.

 

[QUOTE=megalomaniac,Feb 16 2011, 03:16 PM] Take them to court or let the insurance deal with the fault.

 

generally when an accident occurs in a parking lot its neither parties fault, i would take it to court and youll save a lot of money

 

i think this is true.

tell her 1300 is more than you thought you would have to pay and youre willing to go through insurance and have both of your premiums go up since it will be a 50/50 claim, but your offer still stands to have your friend take care of it at no cost to her