This dude ran into my car..!
 

So, I just dropped my friend off of firestone and coming out of the parking lot. This dude from the stop sign just reversed and rammed into my car because he wants to go to taco bell which was two stores away from where this happened.
Front bumper, right headlight assembly (LED package) and god knows what other parking sensors and internal stuff got damaged.
1. Can we get a rough estimate (eBay passenger headlight assy costs $2600 and then labor extra itself and then the color matching bumper..!). I'll take my car to MB dealer tomorrow to get a quote atleast.


The young driver(born in 1999) isn't listed on the parent's insurance (mom drives a black 2009'ish C250) and this dodge is on the dad's name. The cop shared the insurance information with me (not the same company as mine-Geico luckily).

2. Will call their insurance tomorrow, do I need to notify my insurance company about this?

Thanks.

Update 1:
Just called Southern general from (Insurance House) and the policy is expired on Oct 2nd of this year.
Then insurance loft info they gave is also cancelled on Aug 21st, along with their Mercedes that was originally on their policy. Also, the address they provided doesn't match the address on the file for the insurance company.

Good thing you have a dashcam.

Sure, thanks Keith. I will not inform my insurance company until it goes out of control.
Their insurance company isn't open today though.

Yes, the camera paid off. Now, my wife is convinced to invest on the 200-300$ (park mode featured available) dual dash cam. I was using my 3 year old battery operated Action camera by Sony. It is a PIA to format the memory card and record it every time I start the car, but glad I had it :)

Very unfortunate. From the look, I say he's either 18 or 19. Most teen drivers are very reckless and dangerous (experience really matters!).

Good that you have the dash-cam footage of the incident to backup your claim in case they give you a runaround.

I would call their insurance first to see how they'd proceed before informing mine.

Good luck and stay safe!

Doesn't matter if he's listed or not, if the car is insured its their liability.
Claim on their insurance and get repairs done at MB certified facility. You don't need a bunch of quotes, find out who your dealer uses and take it there. You should be able to get a loaner vehicle as well.
Dashcams are great.

My guess is $5k to $6k easily. I've always just notified my local insurance agent who I have a good relationship with, and let them fight it out with the other party's insurance. Never had my rates increased when it wasn't my fault. Many dealers don't do body work. If yours doesn't, find a good MB certified shop that will give you a lifetime guarantee on the repair. and insist on only using OEM parts for the repairs.

I would definitely notify the insurance company. Not your fault and you have proof. A no brainer. sorry to see the car damaged.

What about compensation for diminished value.

You can ask but dobut they will compensate
 

Unless the other driver has State Farm, I don't know of any insurance company that will pay you diminished value unless you sue and the diminished value (I'm guessing around $1500) for a 5 year old car with a minor accident would not be worth the effort. Your own insurance will not pay for diminished value as they have wording in the policy that says they will not pay for that.

I've sued in small claims and won the $6K I proved Iost, but that was for a 2 year old Audi TT with 7000 miles that had the entire front end caved in.

Good luck OP. Keep us posted on the repair. Glad no one was hurt.

Whoh that sux!! Kid drivers!!

GL Raja

Sorry to read about this.

It’s amazing how fast these incidents occur. Seems like there is nothing anyone can do to avoid them. Or is there?

The orange Challenger is definitely at fault here. But from the moment it came into view (:02), it had its back-up lights on. Perhaps that is why Raja stopped short? Anyway, there was a full 5-seconds (closer to 6) available in which to react. Rather than lay on the horn, I would have thrown the tranny in R and backed away.

Easy for me to say, and I will fully disclose I have not reacted defensively in these situations more often than not. It’s real easy instead to feel that asserting your “rights” (to sit there and use the horn, fully assuming and expecting C-Guy will hear your horn) is better than defending yourself. Done it myself in the past, always regretted it.

However, as I have gotten older and experience these situations more and more -- with all the selfish, me-me oriented distractions by others that put me in danger (C-Guy emerged with cell phone permanently attached) -- I have learned to think as far ahead as possible, anticipating (and expecting) stupidity all around me.

If this situation turns south and you have to go to court for what is clearly due you, be careful (or aware) how you use the dashcam video. I would expect a sharp lawyer for C-Guy to contend that you were not at fault, but contributed to the accident by not using the time available to avoid the incident. Have a plan for addressing that.

Sorry if this post sounds harsh, critical or judgmental… not meant to be at all. Just sayin’ that hindsight always sheds new light on any situation. Been there, done that, remember that... too many times.

I completely understand and I just came from that turn and it is a business place, constantly cars going into the garage right behind where I stopped (Firestone car was loading gates are right behind me). Also, if I miss this guy and run into another person behind me, it would be my fault.
Yes, I could've gone into reverse as I was explaining to my wife yesterday, however I didn't have enough time to look into and judge the rear view mirrors and reverse the vehicle. Watching those hours of accidents videos didn't teach me anything after all.
Also, I thought the reversing vehicle would go straight instead looking into the mirror and not come on to me, but I realized this wouldn't have happened if that kid was bright as my car (as he stated my car was shiny and couldn't see because of the sunlight).

I'm so relieved that you've taken my thoughts as intended... Thank you:)

We can't assume the other driver hear a horn. I once had an 18-wheeler back up on the hood of my car to the windshield… he didn’t see me, nor hear my horn protests. The cars behind were on my rear bumper so I had no choice but to sit there and take it. Today, with more and more drivers (stupidly) using headphones while driving, you can be assured they might as well be DEAF to the traffic around them. Not that today's anemic horns help, either.

Not that I am smart or anything… but I recently avoided a parking lot incident, in which a pick-up driver backed out of a perpendicular parking spot in front of me. I stopped my E350 just a foot short of him, but quickly realized he was turning toward me while backing. I thought about using the horn, but instinctively – for a change – used that microsecond to put the car in reverse instead. Luckily there was not a vehicle behind me (I looked after I started to slowly reverse). To this day, the clown in the pick-up does not know how close he was to an accident. I doubt he would have heard my horn or reacted in time had he heard my horn. I had this new car barely a month when this happened.

Today, as far as I’m concerned, all the drivers around me are either drunk, high on pot, opioid dazzled, ambient riddled, etc. Or driving with the knees so they can wolf down that Big Mac in one hand and a Big Gulp in the other. Not to mention yapping or (worse) texting on their phones, or zoned-out with the tunes turned up to 15, or covered with headphones, etc.

I once paced alongside a car with the woman driver peering into her rear view, while inserting her contact lenses... at 45mph.:eek:

It used to be that drivers were expected to take driving responsively. No more.

funny you mention about upgrading the horn. I was planning to get the Stebel or Air snail horn similar to this [1] as I got it for my motorcycle and never got a chance to install it and it is sitting in the closet..!

[1] https://www.google.com/search?q=snai...VGPU4SUN1bQwM:

I've been in that situation and you think the person sees you and still stop. By the time you realize they are still coming and not stopping, it is probably too late to move safely.

True, frankly I was thinking he missed the turn for the Firestone, which is pretty much possible because of the design of the parking lot and entrance of the Firestone. I myself forgot the route (I drove there the same morning), but that kid was not even looking in the mirrors, had loud music when we both stepped down from our vehicle after the accident.


Update: insurance company (Where policy got expired) says the agent might have received the payment and not renewed yet. If that is the case it'll be covered, else I need to contact my insurance company..!

Sorry man! He was more concerned about his car, which he probably borrowed. That dodge is tough though, merely scratched while yours is busted.

I see where you're coming from, but I think more like Plastic and Plastic vs Metal..!

I was recently watching this video:

Ouch, to be honest you're better off using your own insurance company, paying your deductible, and letting your insurance company go after the other party for damages. You'll waste so much time waiting and waiting for the other party's insurance to actually do something.

Also there's really no such thing as a "certified MB repair shop", almost all dealers do not have body shops in-house, they contract the work out to a regular body shop. Find a shop you're comfortable with and just go there.

Bumper looks repairable to me, headlamps the insurance will most likely go for a used option

Good thing you have a camera!

Sorry for your headache! I think you have this in the bag! I would push for the diminished value claim in addition. Another car we own was rear ended once and we tagged that on after the repairs were completed. Our argument was the fact that although not our fault, we now had an accident record on its history. It paid off. I would say that was an illegal maneuver by the dodge in addition. Was this on a public road? Was he ticketed? Yes, you could have reversed etc. but if it wasn't safe to do so (e.g. other cars/ pedestrians present), it's definitely your right to stop. Good luck and pray it all works out.

Yes you can take the car anywhere, but in my case when I needed door repair, I wanted a shop used by my local dealer.

MB Certified Collision Centers

Totally understand but there's this kind of misconception that "certified" repair shops do a better job. They're really just a shop that sends a commission check back to MB or the dealer. They won't be able to do anything more than what an insurance company is willing to cover. And some of them if they dont get what they want from the insurance company, they will force the cost onto the customer. A lot of them work off commission in my area, I've seen some shady things go down.

also on the note about diminished value, if you can provide evidence that on an e class, sale price went down strictly due to an accident, then you can maybe file a claim for it. It'll almost never go through because an insurance company guideline says something like your vehicle will be repaired to pre accident state, meaning it'll look and preform the same before the accident, and also as safe as before the accident. There is no real proof that an accident on the record lowers value, unless maybe it's like some kind of exotic vehicle. the older the vehicle gets, the less people will care about an accident on a car anyways.