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[amba]

Need some advise with a accident my youngest daughter was involved in several weeks ago which has reached a stale-mate.

History
Daughter was driving home from picking her baby up from child minder when a car pulled across a road junction hitting the drivers door and front wing of her car and drove off.She was understandably shaken but did follow the car which sped off into a housing estate, however fortunatley she managed to get part of the registration and make/colour of the car.There were no witnesses but looking at the damage on her car it would have been all but impossible for it to have been done by her so she drove home.She rang me from home as I was out at work and explained what had happened and the make/details as best she could remember on the car and the general area it drove off to.
On the way home from work that night I scoured the estate and quite amazingly found the car parked up and took several photos of the damage it had to the passenger bumper side and front wing  where you could clearly see the  silver paint of my daughters car on the black car she had described.
The fololowing morning she reported the accident to the police and also to her own insurance company and was given referrence numbers from both.
Since then she has been constaintly chasing both the police and her own insurance company for any progress .The police have visited the cars owner and he has denied any accident and has had part of the damage repaired although it is still quite noticeable and the police did agree that it looked like he had hit something.
As this is now over 6 weeks ago and she is still awaiting any conclusive action she contacted both the police and her own insurance company again to day as her own cars is still damaged,albeit the car is driveable,her excess is £400 which the insurance are saying she will need to pay before any repairs are carried out and next years premium will be effected by the claim.
Both the police and her own insurance company are saying without any witnesses to the accident it is his word against hers and they are not willing to take any further action.
As far as I can see she has been involved in an accident where the other driver failed to stop and now through no fault of hers she is likely to be considerably out of pocket as no witnesses were presentwhich seems to be the get out for both the police and the insurance company.
We have the full registration of the other car but not the owners name or address only the road and vague area.
Any advise and help on what we can do next would be gratefully received. 

[omegod]

I'd be inclined to go a little neanderthal on him but depends on your beliefs. Looks like it's a stalemate situation like a few others that have cropped up here lately sadly, all of which are making me seriously consider a dash cam. Could you not fix the damage yourself a bit cheaper

[amba]

Car will require a new drivers door/front drivers wing and then painting.2008 Ford Fiesta so expect costs will get quite high.

Trouble is we have the registration but no divers name/address as neither the insurance company or police will disclose them to us.

Violence doesnt seem the way forward here tbh..was thinking about taking it to a solicitor to press charges for failing to stop at the scene of an accident as Mr Plod are being less than helpfull here unless they smell a conviction.

[omegod]

It's often easy to get panels in the right colour and Fiesta one are really easy to change but I do get your sense of wanting the right moral/legal outcome, hope you get the scrote 

[amba]

We have got him..well almost ..just cant get the bugger in court as police and insurance company want witnesses which just werent there

Might get work done then serve a County Court Judgement on him for the excess,trouble is we need his name/address

[Lizzie_Zoom]

It is a shame she herself left the scene of the accident and did not call the police immediately. They would have attended, taken down all the details your daughter could provide, and then searched for the offending vehicle and driver. Any evidence at the scene such as car body parts would also have assisted the police in their enquiries.

Instead your daughter also left the scene I of an accident and so now has been left to prove the accident even happened. A real pity as some what's it has got away with an offence of leaving the scene of an accident and maybe others like drink driving along with traffic infringements. Is the owner of the car disputing who was driving, along with apparently not being involved at all?

This makes the job for the police to bring a prosecution very difficult indeed and they need irrefutable proof, like witnesses who you say do not exist, or perhaps CCTV if available (?)

Not a good situation but thank God your daughter and baby is ok.

[amba]

Fair point Lizzie and it does look like we may end up loosing out on this .I understand your point about the police and also her leaving the scene but I expect most if not all of us would attempt to follow a car if it just glanced of the wing and drove off.

[cleggy]

I would find a witness.

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Fair point Lizzie and it does look like we may end up loosing out on this .I understand your point about the police and also her leaving the scene but I expect most if not all of us would attempt to follow a car if it just glanced of the wing and drove off.

I feel for you both, I really do, and somehow understand her instant reaction. However, with everything else, just consider what could have happened if she HAD of caught up with that driver. Believe me, there are some really unprincipled criminals out there who run around in cars equipped with their own weapons locker!!!  Your daughter may have lost money over this, but at least she is still around to be with her baby! Thank God for that, but please warn her about the importance of her own safety as a women especially. Heaven forbid.there is a next time, but someone who commits a hit and run often have something to hid and can be very determined to stop others, including the police, getting to close to them. There are those nasty buggers who will even ram police patrol cars in a bid to avoid capture and discovery of what they are up to. If a young defenceless woman gets in their way, many will not think twice in using violence. Sorry to labour the point, but all too many innocent people are getting hurt these days by so many who just do not care!

[amba]

Thanks for those wise words of advise,Lizzie.Whilst it is always your first instinct to find a solution that is in your favour ultimatley you sometimes need to conceed defeat which I think is where this may go.

Does wind me up as looks like £400 excess and increase in premiums next year for her or find a cheap repair solution.

[the alarming man]

Andrew have you spoken to nick w with regards to the repair

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Thanks for those wise words of advise,Lizzie.Whilst it is always your first instinct to find a solution that is in your favour ultimatley you sometimes need to conceed defeat which I think is where this may go.

Does wind me up as looks like £400 excess and increase in premiums next year for her or find a cheap repair solution.

Yep, that would get to me as well! Damned bad luck and a bastard has got away with it; but life is never fair! 

[Nick W]

Thanks for those wise words of advise,Lizzie.Whilst it is always your first instinct to find a solution that is in your favour ultimatley you sometimes need to conceed defeat which I think is where this may go.

Does wind me up as looks like £400 excess and increase in premiums next year for her or find a cheap repair solution.

A wing and door in silver for a mk6 Fiesta shouldn't come to much. I don't see any reason why you couldn't get it done for less than half the excess, and an afternoon's work.

[amba]

Thanks Nick.

Could you keep your eyes out for them on your travels if you don,t mind.You know the car 5 door Mk6 Fiesta .

[Andy B]

It is a shame she herself left the scene of the accident and did not call the police immediately. They would have attended, taken down all the details your daughter could provide, and then searched for the offending vehicle and driver. Any evidence at the scene such as car body parts would also have assisted the police in their enquiries.

Instead your daughter also left the scene I of an accident and so now has been left to prove the accident even happened. A real pity as some what's it has got away with an offence of leaving the scene of an accident and maybe others like drink driving along with traffic infringements. Is the owner of the car disputing who was driving, along with apparently not being involved at all?

This makes the job for the police to bring a prosecution very difficult indeed and they need irrefutable proof, like witnesses who you say do not exist, or perhaps CCTV if available (?)

Not a good situation but thank God your daughter and baby is ok.

But in the real world, coppers will only turn out if someone is injured ....... they're not interested in car crashes.