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Hit by an HGV in the side, company denying liability.


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Anything I can do? :confused:

I was in a right turn lane at a set of lights ,one car in front of me, lights turn green and we head to the middle of the junction waiting to go. I'm stationary now. On my inside comes a large HGV turning left. As he turns the trailer is getting closer and closer and then thump and the car rocks to the side. Wasn't sure if anything much had happened until I glanced in the mirror and saw the damage to the pax rear door. Lorry totally oblivious and keeps going so I quickly flick my indicator on and head left after him. Flashing and flashing to no avail, finally he pulls into a yard a mile or two down the road and I pull up and talk to him, politely and calmly at this point.

He calls in to his company and gets the company address details which he gives me. He takes photos of the damage and says he didn't know anything about it, oh surprise. We walk around the back of the trailer and he points out what did the damage to the door, plate steel end plates about 1-1.5" thick to 'protect' the trailer. He then tells me how he hit a telegraph pole a few weeks back and new nothing of it until he pulled over a few miles later and a car stopped and told him. :rolleyes:

Anyway, company deny it ever happened, said it hasn't been reported. I called and spoke to them and the ****** on the phone very cockily said, nope, we won't ever admit to anything, take it up with your insurers, we've informed ours and they have our details. He even had the nerve to say "well, theres no damage showing on our vehicle" Oh really, well theres a ****ing surprise. :ffs:

Anyone had similar and get anywhere with it, or am i to take the excess on the chin and get it repaired myself? I'm so throughly pissed off, words cannot express it. Should I have notified the police that he drove off from the scene of an 'accident'? :confused:

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Firstly - at least you're not hurt. That's good.

Secondly, yes I'd still inform the police now. Were there any witnesses? Any shops nearby or houses that you might be able to knock on? Is there any CCTV on the junction or nearby? Would be worth checking in my opinion.

Any paint on your door or marks that could be traced back to the HGV?

Did you get his name? If so, I'd put it to the company that you're going to pursue via solicitors and that you'd not know his name or the telegraph pole incident without having spoken to him (not that it may help, but I'm trying to think of anything that could).

Anyone see you talking to him where he pulled in? (i.e. where you spoke to him).

If it was me I'd get to speak to a company director (FD being the one that probably be most handy) of the haulage place and make it clear what you knew from the conversation - but I'd possibly let it slip that I had a witness from the junction (even if you hadn't) - just to see their reaction and take it from there.

If they keep denying it, you'd be surprised how interested in something like this your local regional weekly newspaper would be. The company won't want their name in it - be it truth or not.

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I had a very similar incident back in '91. Coming off a slip road to join the dual carriageway, proceeding in the left hand lane approaching a roundabout. The 7.5T lorry in the right hand side of the dual carriageway, proceeded to enter into my lane without any indication and subsequently took me out onto the grass verge. I honestly can't remember if he admitted fault or how the incident was resolved (sorry, no use to you're request) but I did have my car repaired under the insurance. Hope you get it sorted in your favour. No witnesses I presume?

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All you need to do is report it to your insurers, let them fight it out, thats what you pay them for, don't have any more contact with the company, and you don't need to report it to the police, no one was injured.

I can't see how it could possibly go any other way than non fault in your favour, so you won't have to pay your excess.

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Firstly - at least you're not hurt. That's good.

Secondly, yes I'd still inform the police now. Were there any witnesses? Any shops nearby or houses that you might be able to knock on? Is there any CCTV on the junction or nearby? Would be worth checking in my opinion.

Any paint on your door or marks that could be traced back to the HGV?

Did you get his name? If so, I'd put it to the company that you're going to pursue via solicitors and that you'd not know his name or the telegraph pole incident without having spoken to him (not that it may help, but I'm trying to think of anything that could).

Anyone see you talking to him where he pulled in? (i.e. where you spoke to him).

If it was me I'd get to speak to a company director (FD being the one that probably be most handy) of the haulage place and make it clear what you knew from the conversation - but I'd possibly let it slip that I had a witness from the junction (even if you hadn't) - just to see their reaction and take it from there.

If they keep denying it, you'd be surprised how interested in something like this your local regional weekly newspaper would be. The company won't want their name in it - be it truth or not.

Thanks. No, no damage to me, just wifeys car that we've had about 6 months. It wasn't super special or anything amazing, but it was new to her and pretty damn unblemished. I took it that day for a change. The fact that the meeting I had planned was cancelled by the site, by voicemail, AFTER i'd left home and arrived there makes it all the more annoying. Sods law.

No witnesses that I know of, I've looked on street view at the junction and it looks like the CCTV of one building is pointing in the wrong direction. Wifey called today and they are going to see if they can find anything, likewise the pub over the other side of the junction but I don't recall cameras there either. I couldn't stop to get any other drivers info as I'd have lost the lorry.

The bits that caused the damage were big, thick, unpainted steel plates. I couldn't see anything on the lorry but I expect CSI could have found some flakes of paint.

There was a guy at the haulage yard who told me to move my car and conduct our 'discussion' elsewhere. Might be worth a punt but he still didn't see anything 'happen' as such.

The attitude of whoever I spoke to at the company was so blasé, i just know they aren't going to budge. The way he just said "Tell it to your insurance company", you could tell he didn't give a flying ****. :mad:

Oh and no, I didn't get the drivers name. :( I know I should have got him to give me ID or something but it just all went to pot in the heat of the moment.

Cheers for advice. +++

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Sounds like you've not only have an unfortunate incident but a collection of them together (being told to have your discussion elsewhere in the yard, the meeting, the new car, the fact you'd not normally drive it). That's about as unlucky a combination of circumstances as I can think of.

I don't think you can blame yourself for not getting a name either - heat of the moment, lots happening, his attitude and then the fact you thought you still had a meeting to go to. Most people would probably forget.

Tell you what though - when I hear of things like this I'm glad I've got my car video always running. That would have picked up the car being hit in terms of sudden movement being seen on camera, and following and flash someone down etc - then pointing the car at the general area I was discussing the incident with the HGV driver so it was on film. Easy to say of course but I'd probably have sped past him and not got him on camera with the adrenaline! Might be an idea to think of one in the future. I don't even think about mine 99% of the time I'm driving now and it might not have been the clincher in something like this, but it does make me think that at least it's something.

Best of luck getting it sorted anyway. Tipex may be right, perhaps it is best to leave the insurers to fight it out.

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I'd tend to agree with Tipex. Let you insurer handle it. I know from friends in haulage that whatever the driver says, the yard/firm's opening gambit will always be to deny everything.

Sounds like the driver himself was ok about it - i.e. willing to accept your story as entirely feasible. Really can't blame him for not noticing the impact, although it was obviously his mistake.

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Tell you what though - when I hear of things like this I'm glad I've got my car video always running. That would have picked up the car being hit in terms of sudden movement being seen on camera, and following and flash someone down etc - then pointing the car at the general area I was discussing the incident with the HGV driver so it was on film. Easy to say of course but I'd probably have sped past him and not got him on camera with the adrenaline! Might be an idea to think of one in the future. I don't even think about mine 99% of the time I'm driving now and it might not have been the clincher in something like this, but it does make me think that at least it's something.

Best of luck getting it sorted anyway. Tipex may be right, perhaps it is best to leave the insurers to fight it out.

I've been on and off the car camera websites for months, umming and ahhing about buying one....always something else more 'worthy' of the money so one has never been bought. :rolleyes::( Post hols, I think I'll be investing. +++

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The reason the company don't care is because, most likely, it happens rather often to them. I would definately report it to the police, "failing to stop after an accident". They might even have other reports of failing to stop for the same company and take it seriously, either way, take 2 minutes to call your local non-emergency number and get a crime report number. That way their company name wil be logged on the system for what good it might do.

Sadly, your insurer is the only way forward, that's what you pay them for. I have no idea of the value of the car, or cost to repair, but think carefully before claiming as it might affect your NCB a bit. A bugger, I know.

Good luck, glad no-one was hurt +++

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Problem is these days insurers dont bother or have no interest in 'fighting' your corner. They want to do minimal paperwork and not use any normal sense when investigating. Hence why they usually go 50/50.

If you got osme photos of the truck whilst in the yard and had your car in a few shots might have helped your corner a bit more but i suggest you definately report it to the police; tell them the driver admitted liability and now they are denying it bla bla. Get your insurers involved and let them pull their fingers out and do something, but whichever way im sure your insurance will go up anyway.

By the way you mentioned it was your wifes car so are you a named driver on the policy or were you driving it as a 3rd party as you have your own policy?

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Problem is these days insurers dont bother or have no interest in 'fighting' your corner. They want to do minimal paperwork and not use any normal sense when investigating. Hence why they usually go 50/50.

That simply isn't true, insurers generally have very large loss prevention units dedicated to winning claims so they don't have to pay out, it is firmly in their interests to win the case.

If you want to inform the police then do so, but I can assure you they won't have any interest in the matter, and the insurers won't contact them over the matter, the police line is, was anyone hurt? No, leave it to the insurers then.

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