ok, so this is happening to a friend of mine as we speak. some lady backed into her car in highland park. my friend (a girl) and her cousin were both a little stunned when it happened so they did not know what to do. The lady came out and said "im in a hurry, let's just settle this between us two." They just exchanged business cards and the lady started to leave. Security came by and told my friend that she could have handed her anybody's business card, so you should go after her and get her license plate numbers. So she went after the car and wrote it down.

First estimate of the car is about $1100. The rear door doesnt open or something bc it was bent in.

My friend calls her today, and it turns out the lady is a partner at a big law firm. The lady threatens my friend, saying she's not going to pay for the damages, that she would need to get a lawsuit to even try to get the money, and that $1000 isn't even worth the lady's time. And she hung up on my friend.

So my friend is stuck on what to do, and I'm mad for her bc i hate when people think they are above the law or can take advantage of other people like that. It doesn't matter if they are high profile or not, it's just the principle of getting ripped off. It's happened to me, it's happened to my gf, and I hate when I hear it happening to others.

I am trying to help her figure out her options. A lawsuit against a lawyer who I bet has done this before? I don't know if hiring a lawyer would be worth it, esp if it's down to her word against my friends (no police report was made). Can you find out insurance info from just a license plate number? Can we submit her work email to a bunch of mailing lists? (haha) Trying to think of other law-friendly alternatives... Email the managing partner and tattle on her?

Any ideas guys? All we have is a business card and a license plate.

 

Report it to your friend's insurance and let them handle the collection end of things. That's what you pay insurance premiums for. And refer your friend's insurance company to the security guy as a witness.

 

she didn't even get insurance info? what's wrong with your friend?

she should call her insurance company, and then tell them the deal

 

911 - Hit and Run... That'll get her asss in line...

 

ok.. first off your firend is a dumbass.. you ALWAYS and i mean ALWAYS exchange info.. call the cops and get an accident report.. and make sure you get everything.. name liscences number etc.. in this case.. your friend is ****ed.. this is why you learn in driving school when you get into an accident.. you always exchange info.. and call the cops immediately

 

yea, i totally agree that she should have gotten all the info. that's why i tried to mention that she was a little stunned when it happened and wasnt thinking too clearly.

hit and run doesnt work if you both leave the scene of the accident. I had this issue back in the late 90s when I got hit and run and chased after them for a while. cops said, if either of you leave the scene, your both liable for a hit-and-run or something like that.

her ins. deductible is 1000, so she's thinking it's not worth it to go through them, but maybe they can talk her through her options. ill advise her to contact her insurance anyway.

i hate to tell her that she's SOL, but that's kind of what I think at this point... T=

 

locate her vehicle, kick the shit out of it lol i would be super upset... what law firm does she work for? I have lolyer friends.

 

And oh yeah, if you have a witness (the security guard) get his info down and hire a lawyer and go after her.

 

She's not SOL with a witness and a plate #... They have investigators that will come out and check out your car, check out her car, and get it straightened out.

I know it's a jacked up situation when you are involved in an accident, but the NEXT time someone tries to rush you and are going to flee, just verbally announce that you're going to report a hit and run and unless they don't give a crap, they'll stay and properly exchange information.

 

Kind of weird that a lawyer at a big name firm wouldn't have the cash (or even the insurance coverage) to just take care of it. Seems like it would be a total waste of time to screw around with fighting over something that should be taken care of by insurance.

Hrmm. Sounds like something that calls for calling the Channel 8 investigators. I bet some ugly publicity in the form of a 10 o'clock news report on the firm would change things quickly. Headline...big time lawyer at XXX firm hit and run!