Jump to content
matrixprotein

Got hit by a van

Recommended Posts

Hi guys,

 

So sad to say this but I got hit by a van today. First accident I've been in and gutted to say the least.

 

Long story short, I was on a slip road and a van dangerously merged into my lane and went straight into me. Witness came out and said van driver was at fault so yeah.

 

Of course the van driver is denying liability even though he says "I didn't see you in my mirror". His other argument was "I was indicating so it was my right" to which I responded "just because you indicate doesn't make it your way"

 

Anyways I have to claim tomorrow and say its his fault because it is. And the witness has offered to write a statement of the incident. Just wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation where it wasn't your fault and what are the best options to go about it.

 

On the drive home I can feel the steering wheel is alittle stiffer and can definitely hear something sort of sanding together when I'm on the accelerator pedal. A part of me wants the car but there's another part that wonders if it's saveable. Also the worry that I won't get paid out what I got the car for and I haven't had it for long at all and didn't get the gap insurance.

 

Here are some picsa996ee0ce50c1a50f7aebefb8f82ca82.jpg1075ee1a154fea9538a4b3836bce9cf8.jpg739b1bf43f4bbaee84f092a0f0fdadd5.jpga9f6719c12e549f6cb0bb95f6d3f99d0.jpgb7f1423207c76ba485807119e94412c2.jpg4e4408fd03d5e7b50e1ab8ff2408c768.jpg

 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

White van man strikes again mirror signal manoeuvre or so I was told have you checked he was insured and was it his van? Make sure witness delivers on his statement then it's up to insurance seen worst damage on one but wondering what noise is

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, matrixprotein said:

Van was insured. Took details. Name, address and stuff. Yeah it's a load of crap. If it does get written off, I'll be losing probably £3-4000 on it.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk
 

If they do write it off, never accept the value they initially give you, find examples on autotrader etc of the same spec/mileage/year and say this is how much it's actually worth, generally they will undercut you just to save some pennies on their part and will budge if you refuse and demand more providing you have examples.

Having a witness will certainly make it easier to claim.

Do you have legal cover on your insurance policy?

Also, in every communication make 100% sure you don't reference anything in regards to you potentially being at fault. Always state "Non-Fault Claim" rather than "accident claim" just in case.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Really sorry for you! I had mine written off at the start of January having just bought the car - so I feel your pain.

1. I second everything OllyW says. Make sure you get the witness to follow through on their statement so you make the fact you're not at fault as concrete as possible. If it's sensible drawing diagrams of what happened might help make the situation totally clear cut?

2. Valuation: this is hard, as the insurance companies will probably base their valuation of the car on trade guides (Parkers, Glass's, CAP), and it's a serious uphill battle to get them to deviate from this. They tend to take this page as their guidelines: https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/technical_notes/motor-valuation.html

Mine was an aero, so rare and the trade guides did not give a fair representation of price to replace it, but trying to tell them this was like headbutting a wall.

Also important, their valuation is the basis of whether it's written off...

3. You have the right to choose where it goes for repair - and choose carefully. You can probably influence whether the car is written off as you'd be amazed at how big the difference in repair cost can be between garages. As an example, the write-off value for mine was if repair was >66% of their valuation (this will vary between companies). BUT if you choose somewhere that's not one of their 'approved repair centres' (read: industrial chopshop) it will affect their liability for guaranteeing the quality of the repair. Also, if they are presented with multiple quotes, they will query any cost discrepancies.

4. Get photos of literally everything. Even bits of the car that you don't think are relevant. I was rear-ended, and during recovery a tow truck crunched the front bumper. When I told the insurance company that I expected them to handle this repair, they responded that unless I could prove photographically that the bumper wasn't damaged prior to recovery, then they wouldn't pay to repair it. Any damage that can't be explained by the specific circumstances of the accident, they will try not to pay out on - so I'd try to work out what your mechanical damages are, and figure out how the accident caused it.

5. Claim on your insurance policy. If the van driver's insurance contacts you to settle, don't accept. If you claim on the other driver's policy to protect your NCD or save on excesses, you lose the right to complain to the financial ombudsman about their handling of your claim, as you are not the person the insurance company has the agreement with. Then when they undervalue your car, or mess you about in any way, you cannot have the claim arbitrated by an independent body. My understanding is that in a non-fault claim if you claim on your own policy the insurance company should recover 100% of the costs (including excesses) from the other side, so you shouldn't be hit by those. Although I'm not 100% sure on that - something to ask your insurers about.

Sorry for the essay, but I hope it helps and hope you get it all sorted out as best possible!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry to hear that, what a shame. Is the steering wheel still straight when going straight ahead? If it isn't your alignment has been knocked out and will need adjusting. It doesn't look like the rear whel was touched, but it could have been. If it tracks straight can't see why how it drives would be affected from that kind of impact as it looks cosmetic. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@ollyw didn't take out motor legal cover. Never had an accident and never thought I would! But thanks for this.

@potato goose thanks for the essay, I really need all the advice I can get. As mentioned the driver has said to me he didn't see it even if it was blatant and my partner isn't worried that I would win the case as a non-fault claim.
@lauren the car still drives straight, I did have a feeling he might have knocked my balance out. Could definitely feel something with the accelerator pedal though it could just be me and you know how these cars are - very mechanical but in a good way.

I noticed when I hard steered left to park, it feel noticeably stiffer. Will have another look today and make the claim

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Update: I got hit by another van in my daily just now. A Toyota auris. I cannot believe this. This time the driver admitted liability straight away and we are going to try sort it out away from insurance.

Anyways with regard to the GT86; I've opened a claim and will have to pay £850 excess which admiral will claim back if it's found to be a non-fault claim which it should be along with the witness statement.

Admiral has asked me to take the car to one of their approved garages which frankly has poor reviews (dws bodywork). I've asked them for alternatives and have the option to get quotes from alternative places but the quotes will be have to be approved by Admiral before any work can be approved.

It does seem likely that it will be a non-fault claim because it really should be and if my account can be proven with the witness statement, things should check out ok. I'm considering going to Jemca Toyota for a quote but I know it is likely that the cost of repair will be too expensive but I will give it a shot. If anyone else has any recommendations in and around the London area, feel free to input.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Dude, you are having a bad month!

Don't forget in the write-off scenario, there may be some clawback if you're willing to buy back your car and fix it without rip-off quotes. You have to be confident you're not buying a pile of hidden damage and it works best on premium brands where the official spares cost a kidney, but it can sometimes let you keep the car for a profit. Fair warning: The rear quarter would be expensive to get perfect again and selling a cat C/D car can be hard. In bangernomics terms, it can be worth a go, but not if you're limited on time or very proud of your immaculate car.

I hope you're lucky, and nothing mechanical got bent. That being the case it should be economically repairable. Even at knock-down valuations, most '86s will be worth near £8-10k, which wins quite a lot of repair from the insurer. Car accidents always cost you money. :( 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hey nerdstrike,

Took the car to a mates garage who had a look and reckons there isn't any mechanical damage. By the looks of it, the door will need replacing, front quarter and rear quarter panel. Estimated it to be £3-4k and it's someone I trust so I'm inclined to send the quote over to Admiral and if approved, I may get them to do the work.

Fella reckons the bushes may need replacing and re-do the tracking but it'll be better than going to one of those approved garages so let's see.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If it's any help, I had a similar incident though not as bad, needed a new front wing, no door damage and they managed to repair the dents in the wheel arch which were similar to your's. Was £2.7K for the repair. I went to Toyota and because it wasn't an approved repair place (and likely more expensive), I had to pay an extra £200 excess on top of my standard £400 excess. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
4 hours ago, matrixprotein said:

Hey nerdstrike,

Took the car to a mates garage who had a look and reckons there isn't any mechanical damage. By the looks of it, the door will need replacing, front quarter and rear quarter panel. Estimated it to be £3-4k and it's someone I trust so I'm inclined to send the quote over to Admiral and if approved, I may get them to do the work.

Fella reckons the bushes may need replacing and re-do the tracking but it'll be better than going to one of those approved garages so let's see.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk
 

Find a decent local specialist body shop, that damage actually looks much worse than it is, trust me on that, I have had similar crimps, folds, scrapes and dents in similar places following an argument with a gate post. Completely sorted in 3 days and an absolutely perfect finish with a whole side respray and it cost me around £500 (and that included a basic courtesy car), never needed to trouble my insurance (although of course you do), and while I get that London prices may be higher than Lancashire, they should not be 10x higher 😉

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

UPDATE: Toyota Auris - taken the car to a bodyshop for estimation of price and this should be booked in for repairs by the end of the week which will be claimed for the third party who hit me.

Toyota GT86 - the van man who hit me; his representatives called me saying he has accepted liability. I asked for some clarity and the representative informed me that based on his account of events, he is liable for the accident and he has been informed of this.

In both instances, the end result will be a no fault claim on the Auris and GT86.

Sort of just waiting around now for the garage to come back to me with a quote for the work before I send this off to my insurer for approval. Looks unlikely I'll have the work started until the next of next month as he is going on holiday when schools go on Easter break. My alternative is to go with another garage but it has been recommended that this guy is trustworthy so I'd rather wait a little longer than go to a random body shop and get a bad job. Decisions. 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Such a shame mate I'm really sorry to be reading this. I can't believe the same thing happened to your Auris as well - that's just plain unlucky! I'm surprised you didn't murder the second van driver after this already happened to your GT86. 

Also, if it's any interest, if I were you I'd wait slightly longer for your car to be in better hands. It's just not worth going to a random body shop and risking potentially getting  a bad job done! 

As for the first man in the van... I hope he stats checking his blind spots before merging in future. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah thanks for the support. I am waiting for my own garage and just waiting for the work to get approved but it's such a headache. I just got my courtesy car yesterday for the gt86 and was given a Mercedes gle - which is well not my style of car but it'll do as it's comfy!

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Good to hear you're getting it sorted.  When my GT86 was hit (by a van, whilst parked - fortunately it was the police so they didn't just drive off!) I had an E-Class as a courtesy car.  It was great at motorway cruising but utterly horrible in every other way, so I hope your 86 gets fixed quickly.

---

Unfortunately it can happen to any of us, I almost had my own run-in with a van on Friday.  Queuing traffic on the right hand lane of a large roundabout, with the left lane completely empty.  I was entering the roundabout and taking the left lane; just as I arrived in the lane a van decided that he couldn't be bothered with the queue - no indicators, just straight across into my lane.  Full anchors and a blast on the horn to warn him I was there, but he just carried on oblivious.  He can only have been an inch or two away from my front corner, I was bracing for the "crunch" and it never came.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
5 hours ago, Church said:

It sounds like videoregistrators in UK are must have item.

I'm guessing you mean a dash cam? I've had a dash cam for nearly four years now, still not fitted it! 😂

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 4/2/2019 at 6:59 PM, Lauren said:

I'm guessing you mean a dash cam? I've had a dash cam for nearly four years now, still not fitted it! 😂

Wow!! That's a long time frame in which you could have easily had an incident and not been able to record it. There are plenty of guides online on how to hard wire a dash cam if you're unsure, if you want feel free to PM me and I'll see if I can link you to something helpful 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×