Three car pile up. Who is responsible

[angrymissy]

My brother recently rear-ended another car on the way to school.

He hit the car in front of him. His car was smashed in on the front, $3k worth of damage. The kid he hit was driving a Hyundai, his bumper was all messed up.

We agreed to take care of it outside of insurance, as my brother is a new, young, driver and doesn't have collision on his car anyway.

Didn't hear from the kid until today, a week later. He is claiming $3.5k damage on his car, more than my brothers, and his car was F'ed up in the front.

The kid now claims that when my brother rear ended him, he hit the car in front of him, damaging the front of his car. When my sister arrived at the accident, there was no 3rd car there. There was no 3rd car there when the police filed the accident report. The kid is claiming the guy he hit didn't stop because there was no damage to his car. The kid also had mentioned that he had just rear ended someone himself a week or two prior.

I think the kid is trying to get the bumper that was damaged in a previous accident fixed on our dime. He said "I took it to my friend's auto shop, wait, no, not my friends, a friend of a friends nephew".

I think the kid is trying to get his prior damage on his front bumper fixed on our dime.

#1 - Who is at fault for the front end damages if there truly was a three car accident? My brother is automatically at fault for rear ending by following too closely, is the kid in the middle of the pile up responsible for his damages to the front of his car by following too closely to that car?

#2 - It has been a week since the accident. Can we still report this to insurance?

[Death Metal Moe]

Kill the guy and burn both cars.

NOW!!!

[EliSnow]

#2 - It has been a week since the accident. Can we still report this to insurance?

Check the policy for time frames for submitting claims/reporting accidents.

[west milly Tom]

Just drive it into Newark and leave the keys in it "accidentally". Wa-la no more insurance problem

[topless_mike]

no report of the 3rd car means that there is no 3rd car involved.
that being said, damage can be a lot more than just the bumper.
my wife was rear ended (insert joke here) in her highlander. it look like it was just the bumper that was carved up. turned out the brackets were destroyed, and he clipped the tailpipe, jostling it foward. that, in turn destroyed the exhaust system all the way up to the header. that itself ran almost 2k.

im guessing that this kid, based on what you said, is trying to cash in a bit.
but there is also the chance that there is concealed damage.
i would ask for an estimate in writing.

[angrymissy]

no report of the 3rd car means that there is no 3rd car involved.
that being said, damage can be a lot more than just the bumper.
my wife was rear ended (insert joke here) in her highlander. it look like it was just the bumper that was carved up. turned out the brackets were destroyed, and he clipped the tailpipe, jostling it foward. that, in turn destroyed the exhaust system all the way up to the header. that itself ran almost 2k.

im guessing that this kid, based on what you said, is trying to cash in a bit.
but there is also the chance that there is concealed damage.
i would ask for an estimate in writing.

I have the estimate in writing. $1.1k is for damage to the back of the car.

Replacement of back bumper, replacement of bar underneath bumped, body work, etc.

I am fine paying that. The rest is for the front of the car exclusively. I have a problem paying for that.

Even if there was a mystery 3rd car, would my brother be responsible, or would car #2 (the kid he rearended), be responsible for that damage, since he in turn was following too closely to car #3?

[ozzie]

#1 - Who is at fault for the front end damages if there truly was a three car accident? My brother is automatically at fault for rear ending by following too closely, is the kid in the middle of the pile up responsible for his damages to the front of his car by following too closely to that car?

Ex-father in law was in a massive pile up in a tunnel a few years back. Although every collision was caused by a truck coming down the tunnel, each owner (or their insurance company) was responsible for the damage to their own front end, and the rear-end of the car they hit... even though most all had stopped short of the car in front, and the impact didn't happen until they were forced into the next car by the impact of the truck at the back of the line.

#2 - It has been a week since the accident. Can we still report this to insurance?

Short answer, yes.

[~Katja~]

he would not be responsible for the front end... if he was driving too close to the car in front of him he will be responsible for that damage. Also, if you have a copy of the police report you should go by that.
I would tell him that if he wants it fixed YOU will send out an independent appraiser and have the damage evaluated and then paid to be fixed.

Not sure about the insurance time frames. usually they want it asap.

[TripleSkeet]

Sounds like the kid had damage to his front bumper and is trying to use your brother to pay for it.

The police report is on your side. If their was no mention of a 3rd car on it, the other guy has no case. But it sounds like you may have to get a lawyer involved. Id try to talk to the guy before calling the insurance company and explain that to him. If he doesnt budge, then you gotta call the insurance company. Theyll straighten him out but it will wind up costing your brother with a rate increase anyway.


If there was really a 3rd car involved though, the responsibility would fall on your brother. My wife just had that happen and the fault went to the original driver that rear ended the first car.

[topless_mike]

I have the estimate in writing. $1.1k is for damage to the back of the car.

Replacement of back bumper, replacement of bar underneath bumped, body work, etc.

I am fine paying that. The rest is for the front of the car exclusively. I have a problem paying for that.

Even if there was a mystery 3rd car, would my brother be responsible, or would car #2 (the kid he rearended), be responsible for that damage, since he in turn was following too closely to car #3?

you are responisbile for the control of your vehicle at all times. if the middle car was lunged into a 3rd vehicle, it is becuase he was too close. in nj, all rear enders are automatically at fault.


you cut him his check for the 1.1k and you are done. the police report is the official verdict on what happened at the scene based on what was told to him and basic evidence. if ass clown did not report a 3rd vehicle in from of him, then it does not exist.

[donnie_darko]

even in stopped traffic you're supposed to maintain a safe distance from the car in front.

in "bumper to bumper" traffic, i still stay at least a cars distance from the car in front, simply because i know i'd be responsible if there were a pile up.

but yeah, f him and his front end damage if its not on the police report, too bad for him.

[topless_mike]

I have the estimate in writing. $1.1k is for damage to the back of the car.

Replacement of back bumper, replacement of bar underneath bumped, body work, etc.

I am fine paying that. The rest is for the front of the car exclusively. I have a problem paying for that.

Even if there was a mystery 3rd car, would my brother be responsible, or would car #2 (the kid he rearended), be responsible for that damage, since he in turn was following too closely to car #3?


then cut him his check and move on.
anything else is his problem.

[angrymissy]

you are responisbile for the control of your vehicle at all times. if the middle car was lunged into a 3rd vehicle, it is becuase he was too close. in nj, all rear enders are automatically at fault.

you cut him his check for the 1.1k and you are done. the police report is the official verdict on what happened at the scene based on what was told to him and basic evidence. if ass clown did not report a 3rd vehicle in from of him, then it does not exist.

My plan at the moment is to call the kid back tomorrow and say I'll pay the $1.1k for the rear bumper damage and not a dime more.

I'm waiting on a copy of the police report first. I'm just wary of this now, as who knows if soon I get an "OW MY NECK HURTS" call.

oh, and on the estimate, there is a line item for fixing his radiator. My brothers radiator was messed up in the accident from slamming into the kids car. I think if he hit a mystery 3rd car that hard, it would have been reported.

[Jujubees2]

A similar thing happened to me and I was told that if the middle car was stationary, the car in the back was responsible for all damages. If the middle car was moving, the car in the back was only responsible for the damages to the back of the middle car.

[topless_mike]

My plan at the moment is to call the kid back tomorrow and say I'll pay the $1.1k for the rear bumper damage and not a dime more.

I'm waiting on a copy of the police report first. I'm just wary of this now, as who knows if soon I get an "OW MY NECK HURTS" call.

oh, and on the estimate, there is a line item for fixing his radiator. My brothers radiator was messed up in the accident from slamming into the kids car. I think if he hit a mystery 3rd car that hard, it would have been reported.

if the radiator of the middle car was damaged, then that front car would have hung around, even if it was just a trailer hitch that did the damage.

[JerseyRich]

Just drive it into Newark and leave the keys in it "accidentally". Wa-la no more insurance problem

Can we please use the term "VOILA" correctly. It's a French word.

I am irritated when people say wa la.

Thank you.


And Missy, do everything everyone has said so far...except Moe's.

And if you do settle without insurance...Find a legal document that you can use to state that he cannot claim any other damages once it is paid for.

[topless_mike]

seriously.
give him his money and be done with it.

[topless_mike]

Can we please use the term "VOILA" correctly. It's a French word.

I am irritated when people say wa la.



but we dont like the french...
you of all people should understand.

[JerseyRich]

but we dont like the french...
you of all people should understand.

So don't use their word. Just say "there it is" instead.

[topless_mike]

So don't use their word. Just say "there it is" instead.

noted.

[CofyCrakCocaine]

Meh. Tough call. You'd need more evidence to prove there was a 3rd car and that the damage was caused during that fender bender. I think this kid is trying to scam ya, and even if he's legit, how the fuck is he gonna prove it in court? Stick with the $1.1k or take it to a judge.

[JerseyRich]

noted.

Do you have a notebook for such things? If so, note that you will buy my bass guitar from me.

[topless_mike]

he's already shit the bed kinda.
he submitted a report with damage that is unrelated to the accident, as far as the official accident report is concerned.

hold onto this.

if the "ow my neck and back" thing starts, you have this saying that the pain may be bullshit as he has tried to fraud you once already.

[topless_mike]

If so, note that you will buy my bass guitar from me.

noted as well.
as i dont have cash, a handy will have to suffice.

[drusilla]

Can we please use the term "VOILA" correctly. It's a French word.

I am irritated when people say wa la.

Thank you.





i have never heard of anyone saying "wa la" before this. is that really that big of a problem that people are mispronouncing it all over the place??? i'm stupefied.



i don't think its too late to report it to insurance. it may be a good idea to do that now that he's trying to claim more damage. they can fight that off easier than you can.

[Dougie Brootal]

i know ALL ABOUT threesomes!

i always heard if you rear ended someone its your fault no matter what. and if theres a third cari think its the original guys fault (your brother). cuz if he wasnt there the second car wouldve theoretically never hit the third.

[JerseyRich]

i have never heard of anyone saying "wa la" before this. is that really that big of a problem that people are mispronouncing it all over the place??? i'm stupefied.



It happens more than you think. Now you know about it, you will notice it. Trust me.

Another one is people using the word "then" when the word "than" should be used.

[topless_mike]

i know ALL ABOUT threesomes!

i always heard if you rear ended someone its your fault no matter what. and if theres a third cari think its the original guys fault (your brother). cuz if he wasnt there the second car wouldve theoretically never hit the third.

each state varies.
nj is an "at fault" state (think thats what the term is).
basically, it means that you are to be in control of your vehicle at all times.
if you were stopped and are pushed into the car ahead of you, its because you did not allow the proper distance between vehicles.

[~Katja~]

i know ALL ABOUT threesomes!

i always heard if you rear ended someone its your fault no matter what. and if theres a third cari think its the original guys fault (your brother). cuz if he wasnt there the second car wouldve theoretically never hit the third.

nah, if the car was standing and not moving he would have had to hit him with considerable speed to push the other car into one in front, because that car's driver is responsible to maintain a safe distance to the car ahead... whether that be standing or driving.

[Dougie Brootal]

i know everything!:furious:

[angrymissy]

I got the police report. No "mystery third car" mentioned in it or the diagrams on it at all. Who does this little shit think he's trying to kid? I think I'm handing this off for the evil insurance lawyers to deal with.

[EliSnow]

I got the police report. No "mystery third car" mentioned in it or the diagrams on it at all. Who does this little shit think he's trying to kid? I think I'm handing this off for the evil insurance lawyers to deal with.

Hey!!!!

[topless_mike]

any updates?

[SatCam]

Maybe you could threaten turning the case over to insurance or a lawyer (but not actually do it unless he doesnt budge). He might soften up a little.............

edit: didnt see this was an old thread :(

[angrymissy]

any updates?

I called the kid, he stammered, I told him he was full of shit, and turned it over to insurance.

With all the shady stuff going down, I didn't want to deal with "OW MY NECK HURTS" a few weeks from now, so I unleashed the evil insurance company on him.

[Furtherman]

Sounds like a good time for the 'ol Mike Brady drop your briefcase on the floor trick.

[disneyspy]

katja look quick

[~Katja~]

katja look quick

thank's that's too early for porn for me. and that is the same bs as yesterday.
hope it gets deleted quick

[topless_mike]

I called the kid, he stammered, I told him he was full of shit, and turned it over to insurance.

With all the shady stuff going down, I didn't want to deal with "OW MY NECK HURTS" a few weeks from now, so I unleashed the evil insurance company on him.

:thumbup:
good. let them earn their keep.

[angrymissy]

I guess it was just about time for insurance renewal, insurance went up $35/mo.

Well worth it.

[alabamatrucker]

I drive for a living (eighteen wheeler). Anyway i know a little bit about accidents. Every time you hit someone in the rear, regardless of why, your responsible. At least thats the way it is in the south. The insurance company will claim you were following to close, not looking ahead for brake lights, etc etc. Thats just how the shit works. Some people pull right out in front of you and if you hit them directly in the rear , your usually fucked. It sucks , the kid probally had a fucked up front end to begin with. Just pay for the back end and tell em to fuck off or take em to judge judy.

AT

[topless_mike]

I guess it was just about time for insurance renewal, insurance went up $35/mo.

Well worth it.

420 a year. not bad considering.