I was involved in a car collision July last year (2014) and would like some advice please?:
My partner was driving my car (as a named driver) and we were travelling down a long stretch of road looking for a safe place to stop (we'd been told by a family member that there was a bridleway large enough for at least 2 cars on said road so we were looking for this). We seen it and decided it'd be safer if we turned around and came back instead of slamming on the breaks to stop due to other cars being behind us. We turned around in the next village and came back, seen the bridleway approaching so signaled and started to slow down (we seen a car behind us but was a fair distance away). We started to turn into the bridleway (the road was clear) and as we turned, said car behind was trying to overtake us and smashed into the side of us. We got veered off to the side of the road and the other car went flying into a ditch. My partner had to kick our driver's door to get it open because it was crumpled but jumped down into the ditch to turn off the other car's engine and help all 5 of them out safely (luckily they were all fine). The woman driver came to me and said 'Is it your car? I'm so sorry, I seen you slowing down and thought you were turning left' - can I just add there wasn't actually a left turn there. Shortly after, her husband appears and starts to get really aggressive towards me and my partner claiming we weren't allowed to park where we were aiming for (the bridleway) so it was our fault the collision happened - even though that's where he'd parked and there were no signs indicating so. We took plenty of photos of the incident including the 20ft skid marks she left before colliding with us. The police arrived to assess the scene and took statements from us all and deemed there was no obvious sign of dangerous driving and left to finish his report. We managed to get my car home and my insurance called me. We went through the damage of my car and they deemed it a complete write off (chassis was bent or something along them lines, sorry I'm not technical lol). They also tell me that the third party is now denying liability as they believe we were incorrectly indicating left. A few months down the line I contact them again and ask what the progress is and I'm told 'the third party states that you were at a standstill on the road and turned into them as they tried to pass'. A few months pass again and I ring asking for another update to be told 'the third party believes they have an independent witness to put you at fault, we are waiting for more information' - can I please just add that there absolutely was not any witnesses and we have the number plate number of the only person who stopped after the incident. NOW my insurance company is telling me they have never received an official comment from them regarding our statement. I called today and asked for yet another update to be told they're still denying liability and looks like it may go to court. I told them that I want to push for court proceedings as I just want this over and done with now. I believe the woman driver is having words put into her mouth by her husband with all of the different stories (we also have a picture of him shouting in my face taken by my partner from a distance and fyi, he was 40+ and I'm a 23 year old girl). For information: When she collided with us, I hit my head (my eye socket) and woke up the next morning with sickness and a very sore neck. I was told I had to take a week off work and to not look at any TV/monitors. I was then off work for 6 further weeks with stress (having only been driving for a year and being an anxious person anyway tipped me over the edge). I just want to know what you think will happen now? Will it actually go to court and if so, what's the likely outcome from what I have told you? What are your comments on this mess of a claim?
Thanks in advance everyone, it means a lot!
My partner was driving my car (as a named driver) and we were travelling down a long stretch of road looking for a safe place to stop (we'd been told by a family member that there was a bridleway large enough for at least 2 cars on said road so we were looking for this). We seen it and decided it'd be safer if we turned around and came back instead of slamming on the breaks to stop due to other cars being behind us. We turned around in the next village and came back, seen the bridleway approaching so signaled and started to slow down (we seen a car behind us but was a fair distance away). We started to turn into the bridleway (the road was clear) and as we turned, said car behind was trying to overtake us and smashed into the side of us. We got veered off to the side of the road and the other car went flying into a ditch. My partner had to kick our driver's door to get it open because it was crumpled but jumped down into the ditch to turn off the other car's engine and help all 5 of them out safely (luckily they were all fine). The woman driver came to me and said 'Is it your car? I'm so sorry, I seen you slowing down and thought you were turning left' - can I just add there wasn't actually a left turn there. Shortly after, her husband appears and starts to get really aggressive towards me and my partner claiming we weren't allowed to park where we were aiming for (the bridleway) so it was our fault the collision happened - even though that's where he'd parked and there were no signs indicating so. We took plenty of photos of the incident including the 20ft skid marks she left before colliding with us. The police arrived to assess the scene and took statements from us all and deemed there was no obvious sign of dangerous driving and left to finish his report. We managed to get my car home and my insurance called me. We went through the damage of my car and they deemed it a complete write off (chassis was bent or something along them lines, sorry I'm not technical lol). They also tell me that the third party is now denying liability as they believe we were incorrectly indicating left. A few months down the line I contact them again and ask what the progress is and I'm told 'the third party states that you were at a standstill on the road and turned into them as they tried to pass'. A few months pass again and I ring asking for another update to be told 'the third party believes they have an independent witness to put you at fault, we are waiting for more information' - can I please just add that there absolutely was not any witnesses and we have the number plate number of the only person who stopped after the incident. NOW my insurance company is telling me they have never received an official comment from them regarding our statement. I called today and asked for yet another update to be told they're still denying liability and looks like it may go to court. I told them that I want to push for court proceedings as I just want this over and done with now. I believe the woman driver is having words put into her mouth by her husband with all of the different stories (we also have a picture of him shouting in my face taken by my partner from a distance and fyi, he was 40+ and I'm a 23 year old girl). For information: When she collided with us, I hit my head (my eye socket) and woke up the next morning with sickness and a very sore neck. I was told I had to take a week off work and to not look at any TV/monitors. I was then off work for 6 further weeks with stress (having only been driving for a year and being an anxious person anyway tipped me over the edge). I just want to know what you think will happen now? Will it actually go to court and if so, what's the likely outcome from what I have told you? What are your comments on this mess of a claim?
Thanks in advance everyone, it means a lot!