what should i do?

Question

on the drive home from work yesterday, i was side swiped by another motorist for no reason! i got out of my car to be faced with a polish person appologising etc.. i was pissed of but accepted the fact accidents happen. we came to exchange insurance policys and he says, no insurance, no license?????? he says he will pay me in cash??? i follow him to his house to make sure he doesnt try and fob me off with a false address! im due to go back there today to get the money. my car is 1 year old and i would estimate the damage at about 3k atleast i can clearly tell he doesnt have this kind of money do i

A. go to his house and break his legs and raid what i can from his house?

B. go to his house and threaten to break his legs if he doesnt pay within a week?

C. phone the police and watch him get a slap on the wrists and then sent on his way.

any suggestions would be much appreciated

Answer 1

You know his name, you know his address. So you obtain estimate for cost of repair to your vehicle, you send him copy with a letter asking for re-imbursement of cost for those repairs. Wait 2 - 3 days. If no reply, send further letter - "letter before action" advising that if he doesn't pay you within a stipulated period you will issue proceedings in your local County Court (this is a civil proceedings so no, he won't go to prison by you doing this).

Answer 2

Contact the police and your insurance company. You have uninsured motorist coverage for just this type of thing. If this person had $3000 to fix your car, they could afford insurance and a drivers license. Your insurance company may choose to go after this person (probably without any results, but what do you care in the grand scheme of things?), and will pay to have your car fixed (as it is a new car, you should get OEM parts). It really should not affect your rates all that much either. It could move you to a slightly more expensive rating tier, but that beats doing jail time for threatening to bash in someones head with a bat.

Also good to report this to your insurance company so that the other driver does not call 6 months from now saying you side swiped him and demands payment. Leave it to cops and the insurance company and move on.

Answer 3

I'm afraid by not calling the police when it happened you have pretty much burnt your bridges legally. The insurance company won't be interested (and will push your premiums up come renewal time). Your best bet is to try and get the money from him but as he's an immigrant there's not much chance you will get that sort of cash. Once you've got the cash I would contact the Police anonymously and tell them that you know that this person is driving without insurance or a licence and give them his address.

Answer 4

Leg breaking is not the answer here.
Now that you know where he lives, and he has admitted not having the necessary papers, the ball is very much in your court. The chances are he has no visa to be in the courty either, so I would think that the threat of reporting him to the authorities should be enough of an incentive for him to come up with the money.
Depending on how generous you feel, you could offer him to pay the money directly into your bank account over the space of a couple of months, as although this is not ideal, at least you have a chance of recouperating the costs....if this doesnt work - then please do report him, as this is the sort of person who messes up the system for the rest of us -

Answer 5

Go round there with some friends. Not to intimidate him, but because he may have people there to teach you a lesson. If he has no license he is joy riding and therefore illegal. If he has no insurance he is illegal. Breaking his legs will make him go to the police and he can then claim benefits and you will be stuck with two things to pay. He has your address to give to the police and is able to say this man assaulted me. So, get a quote on how much it will be to fix your car. and see what he will give you. At the end of the day he will want to pay rather than risk deportation. If he can't pay, then go to the police. You might not get your money, but it will be satisfying to wave a hanky as he is boarding a plane set for sunny Poland.

Answer 6

(1) First, phone the Police and file an accident report.

(2) Contact your insurance company and explain what happened. They may contact the other driver and attempt to get payment or pay for it themselves under "Uninsured Motorist".

(3) If all else fails, contact a lawyer and take the driver to court.

Answer 7

stop being such a prick for a start.

accidents do happen, and yeah he shouldn't have been on the road, but **** happens!!

at a guess I'd say you can get on with your life without too much disdain, so forget about it and be glad your still alive, and obviously a lot better off than the guy who hit your car.

you don't know his situation, and judging by what you say he is in a much worse situation than yourself .

See what the guy gives you, and be grateful.

there is much poverty and injustice in the world and the last thing anyone needs are prats like you thinking you are the law and have some god given right to seek your own justice.

get off your podium and consider his side of the story - you don't know the first thing about this person - yeah he could be some jerk, but he could just be trying to get by.

Think before you act, and don't do anything stupid. x x

Answer 8

Call the police and get the frigger done! Its bad enough he is driving round with no isurance but having no license! That just takes the p*ss! I wouldnt hesitate! Doesnt matter where he is from he shouldnt be allowed to get away with it. What if he was injure or even kill someone?

Answer 9

The polish are normally hard workers, perhaps he has some money or at least would be able to pay it off, but it would be best th inform the police, he should not be on the road.

Answer 10

police - do it the official way and as your car is a year old you will have to have fully comp insurance so your insurance company will pay for the damage as well as any cash you get from the polak

the polak will probably have his car taken away until he has insurance again so it wont happen to anyone else

threatening a polish person will probably result in your mother being cut to pieces. you'd best not mess with them