That would protect you from being charged with a hit and run. In New York, a driver must notify police if theyre unable to exchange information. What if there car gets towed? Your concern is protecting your own well-being. It will then be up to the other party to file a lawsuit (at which point your insurance company is required to defend you). That car has no damage just license plate band. I hit a parked car when leaving a friends house, it was dark and didnt realize how close I was to it. If you failed to (or were unable) to leave a note, you should file an accident report with the local police department. Heres what you need to know (and do) if this happens to you. You are correct that you should have left your information. As youre backing up out of a parking spot, you feel a sudden jolt as you accidentally reverse into a parked car. While you may not be completely at fault for hitting a vehicle that was parked illegally, you are most likely partially at fault under the law. I did ask for their name luckily so I have a 1st name, no last. At that point, the insurance company could potentially garnish your wages. I would suggest doing whatever is possible to locate the driver. Car Accident Attorney & Car Insurance Car Accident Attorney & Car Im asking the insurance company to fix or replace my vehicle. I did go back down and leave a note with my name and phone number, as well as taking numerous photos of the car and of my note on the windshield (made sure to get some of the note with the license plate). In most states, the law requires you to call the local police and report the accident if you failed to stop and leave a note. However, not having insurance is going to be a problem for you. Its good that youre willing to apologize and provide your insurance information, but you could be charged with a hit and run. Im not sure why she would want me to wait until she returns it? I was going to wait until there was more room for me to switch lanes, but cars behind me were honking. Hitting parked car and panicked and left scene. Got letter in mail I just check my information online and it said I had a criminal offense I was awarded 3 points on my drivers license which I thought was awful I had been a driver with a clean record for 44 years. If an unoccupied vehicle that is in park with the parking brake applied ends up sliding forward and makes contact with another unoccupied parked vehicle what are the correct legal steps to take? You mentioned that you did leave your information with a person at the scene, but that person wasnt the car owner. Based on the information you provided, there is no grounds for your boyfriend to be fired. I first drove off in a panic. My car was legally parked near the cafe and it was hit by another car. When you crash into a vehicle, the law requires you to leave a note regardless of whether your vehicle has more damage than the car you hit. We both came outside if the cars to inspect. I did a minor scratch today and saw it but did not get out of my car and drove away unaware of the true magnitude of the situation. Stay calm and gather as much information as possible - take lots of photos of your car and the accident scene. Can I just tell her to file the uninsured claim with her insurance and offer to pay her deductible, BUT isnt this waived if the accident wasnt her fault? Assuming he doesnt have insurance, am I screwed? I was parked in a private shopping center lot and when I went in reverse my Camry accelerated and hit a parked car behind me which then that car hit another car the car that hit the other car was all dented and had mechanical issues and the driver said the P parking did not work so she put it in neutral when she left the vehicle and turned the motor off. Time limit says reasonable time to file. If Im understanding correctly, you did find the owner of the parked car and exchange contact information with him, so thats helpful, too. They parked too close to my driveway. Glad I felt courage to take photos at least, so I have evidence and damage documented. What should i do next? Its very minor and I feel shouldnt cost much. Based on your message, its unclear why your insurance company isnt helping with your claim. I am very scared. I was extremely tired and was going home when I left to sleep. Play Video: What should I do if I hit a parked car? Would I still be receiving anything about being charged with a hit and run? I just moved so my mail is slowly being forward. Please help! If you have pictures of the spot where he was parked, that will be useful to provide to your insurance company. If you didnt exchange information, its possible they will obtain the security footage in order to get your license plate and contact you. My panic did not begin till I noticed a couple in another car several yards away filming me with their phones. I was visiting a relative and it was rainy and foggy out and I brushed a parked car as I was trying to park. He did said he will ask if the other side is willing to drop the charge. Some states also require a police or DMV report, especially since you suffered an injury and there was damage to one or both vehicles. I asked them if I needed to make a police report for it. Will they have to show me proof of what I need to pay? If you need the assistance of an Alabama lawyer, youre welcome to use the free Enjuris directory: https://www.enjuris.com/directory/lawyers/alabama/. Record evidence I was parking in a lot today and got out after parking and a lady came out saying i hit her her car and i said i did not. Im assuming my insurance rates will go up for 3 years. Your insurance company may allow you to enter into some sort of payment plan to pay the deductible. And I took a picture of my car. I would recommend reaching out to your insurance company. I went inside asked if anyone knew whose car it was, and no one did. The owner of the vehicle found me and realized how panicked and afraid I was and immediately told me it was ok and it didnt do much to his vehicle and to just worry about the rental car damage. Not only can you get a ticket for leaving the scene, but depending on the circumstances, you might face considerable fines and possible jail time . Your insurance can require that the driver get a quote from a body shop thats on the insurance companys approved list. What should i do now. When we got back from lunch I told my co worker what happened. I scraped a car in a parking lot at the drs yesterday. I know I shouldnt have left but I was so freaked out. Tip #1 - It is never a good idea to turn yourself into the police station ( no matter how guilty you feel) without knowing all of the details about the accident. I didnt take note of their plate number or the type of car it was. Fortunately, there are ways you can make the situation right and clear your conscience. If you dont feel comfortable approaching strangers, feel free to wait for the police and let them talk to the witnesses. I did not leave any information as I panicked. The first one was the front passenger side and second was rear passenger side. Omg I was freaking out. Sorry this happened to you. I want to settle things up away from insurance -and they seem open to let me do it on my own. I bumped her front bumper when Leaving and waited for her we checked her car there was no damage and went on our way I panicked and blocked the caller. Prepare For Your Case Hopefully, the accident wasn't as bad as you thought when you first fled. I wouldnt have moved my car if I could get out of my car but I hit the other car trying not to get to close to the car on my driver side. I bumped a car pulling into a parking spot today, totally my mistake. He took my details so i took his, and i took photos showing no damage. When he turned left at a stop sign I veered to the right a bit and didnt get back fully and hit a parked car at about 25mph and did a lot of damage to mine and the parked car. Interested in our exclusive Partner program to grow your law firm? I did file a motor vehicle crash report to our dept of vehicle services (which I was told to by an attorney). At this point, explaining what happened to the police is your best option. Leaving The Scene Of An Accident - Hit & Run Lawyer PA A car was parked on the other side of the street behind our driveway. This person then went on to say, I have friends that will say they saw you If you are charged with a hit-and-run collision, you should find a lawyer who can help to defend your position. I declined and he moved on only to be called over by a guy in a blue pickup truck parallel to me. The next morning the owner of the car contacted me and we exchanged the rest of our info for repairs, he even joked about that curve being the curve of doom and had been hit 3 times. When you meet with an attorney in your area, bring along a copy of the tape. I hit scratched a parked car while pulling into the parking spot beside. Just as I turn my eyes back to the road I realize theyre there and try to swerve into the other lane to avoid hitting them and slam on my breaks. Plus, you can utilize the same security footage to show that you returned to the scene. I dont think there where any. I walked back to the lot where I hit the person, but they werent there anymore. will my insurance pay for my damages to my car? I am 18 now, but was 17 at time of incident. If the car is still in the parking lot, you should leave a note with your contact information. Most initial consultations are free, and the attorney can help you decide what steps to take next. I completely froze and I went into the next lot to check my car. I went down and see what happened, and saw only the side rear mirror got hit. If the woman who owns the car wants to file a lawsuit, she has a right to do so. I dont expect my agent would help me with this brainstorming or strategizing. Hello, Patrick. Will this be an offence as Ive never been in trouble with the police before or are they handing my information over to the victims insurance company? I didnt hear anything until a few weeks later when the person called me. My mind was blank and I couldnt feel my body. I did try to give her my info and such. Were scheduled for virtual court March 18th, how so I present this so that he is required to fix my car? Keep in mind, both these misdemeanor and felony hit-and-run charges are as severe as they are because of the "hit-and-run" (fleeing) aspect. Leaving the scene of an accident resulting in property damage over $50 can result in criminal charges, fines, license suspension, imprisonment, and civil liability. As a result, youll be responsible for paying any damages that you caused. Unless I can make a case for my arguments and fault is 50/50. So today I backed into a car. Hi! Remember, part of your insurance companys responsibility to you as an insured is to indemnify (defend) you against another persons charges of liability. I backed into a car earlier tonight in my condos parking lot. The cops met me at my house and got my insurance, license, etc. Thank you for taking the time to comment. They said he is on drugs but no they tested him and he has no drugs or alcohol in his system , ambulance and police know this.