Just be rear ended! by two cars *blam... blam*

[AtreuS]

Just been rear ended! by two cars *blam... blam*



Just picked the GF up from the train station and was driving home. On a 30 road ( busy rat-run road where people always speed ) and i stopped at a pelican crossing to let some people cross. Next thing i hear a screetch and a bang then a loud bang and a shuddering jolt as the guy behind us got rammed into us by the dude behind him.

We had the dogs in the car ( in the boot behind a dog guard ) and im just glad it wasnt a really high speed inpact or the poor dogs would be gonners. Luckily the 2 guys stayed around and were forthcoming with their details and were quite calm. The guy who hit us was in a newish focus and the guy who hit him was in some old banger G-reg thing. As it happens the guy in the middle is a claims handler, so he said.

At the time it happened the GF had immediate pain in her lower back and neck and i got a slight headache, now im home the whole side of my head is taught and feels like someone has been using by head as a cushion. I was sat facing forward but the gf was sitting sideways talking to me so her head was at a funny angle.

Anyway where do i stand regards my insurance company? there is some damage to the bumper, the clips have split on the side and its come away and things like that. My car is a focus collection so i dunno if a new bumper is easy to source or not (y reg 2001 ). Had a look in the boot and there is no sign of any crumpling and major stuff like that. Do i have to tell my insurance company or do i just get my solicitor to handle it all ( the gf's sister is a car accident claims handler at a solicitors ).

Damn annoying as i use the car for work and being without for any time at all will cost me as im self employed so i assume im entitled to a rental car for any time im without mine? the gf isnt looking so great and has gone to bed saying her back is killing.

 

[ChoÞÞer]

damn, thats bad luck, if you can fix your car your self for cheap wouldnt it be best 2 do that instead of going thru the insurance?

 

[SCM]

Sounds like you could have whiplash there in your neck both of you plus your gf's lower back pain, contact your insurance and you might find when they hear of the injuries telling you to claim for them. Hopefully your insurance company can claim from their insurance for the added cost of you requiring a hire car for work with your car being part of you livelihood.

Better to tell your insurance about this and let them deal with the parts of reclaiming costs for injuries and car hire they will be good at this.

SCM

 

[Morba]

whiplash normally doesnt kick in so early, what you probably have is muscle strain from not having your seat setup properly in terms of your back support angle and head rest location.

How bad was the impact, how fast was it (do you think)?

 

[Tom|Nbk]

Kerching.

 

[AtreuS]

whiplash normally doesnt kick in so early, what you probably have is muscle strain from not having your seat setup properly in terms of your back support angle and head rest location.

How bad was the impact, how fast was it (do you think)?

Its hard to say about speed but it was a teeth juddering jolt i know that. To look at the guys car in the middle you couldnt see a thing wrong yet the guy at the back has a fair bit of damage to his car. I suppose its due to the fact the middle car was an 06 focus and has better bumper shock absorbtion.

As im sat here now my neck is sore and im getting a headache... so sounds like my head got jolted worse than i thought. I suppose ill know in the morning, just got over that nasty virus thats been round as well and was actually feeling ok for once! typical

Id say from the position in the road and the general situation the guy at the rear was accelerating from the turn onto the road he has just made and didnt expect us to all stop. There is a t junction about 30 yards from the crossing i was stopped at. So i dunno maybe 15-20 mph tops? ( this is a guess i dunno if he turned out or not he didnt say and i didnt see )

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=m401pw&ie=UTF8&ll=53.486203,-2.212652&spn=0.000621,0.001784&t=h&z=20&om=0

I was stopped just past where the black car is at the crossing.

 

[Meridian]

whiplash normally doesnt kick in so early, what you probably have is muscle strain from not having your seat setup properly in terms of your back support angle and head rest location.

How bad was the impact, how fast was it (do you think)?

Whiplash IS muscle strain. Other neck injuries may be involved, but medically whiplash applies to just that bit. Sometimes it can start immediately, but get worse, other times it takes a day or two to develop.


As to the OP: I suggest you go via the insurers, but make sure that they understand that this is to be settled no-fault. Give them the details of BOTH drivers (they actually claim off the car who hit you, who in turn go after the guy at the back). If you don't claim, but the insurers find out then basically you've lied (albeit by omission) to them, with the usual results: voided insurance etc.


As this will be deemed 100% not your fault it shouldn't affect your premiums.



M

 

[Lowe]

Same thing happened to me about a year ago. Luckily I saw the accident about to happen so took the handbrake off. Got away with a minor scuff to the bumper and an exhaust bracket bent out of shape.

I was tempted to cash in on the numpties insurance with a 'omg my neck' story, but thought better of it - we all pay enough as it is for insurance without me adding to it.

 

[Confused]

Tell your insurers ASAP. It is NOT your fault, and is entirely the fault of the guy in the battered G-reg thing. His insurance will cover the cost of the damage to your vehicle, and the person in the middle, and any genuine medical requirements you may have (or an "OMG COMPENSATION!!" claims )

Being a non-fault accident, if you can not get a courtesy car from your own insurer, or his, then use a company such as HelpHire to get a courtesy car whilst yours is being repaired. No matter how much it looks like there isn't any damage to yours - get it checked out by a professional body shop, you're not paying for it anyway!

 

[AtreuS]

Ive phoned tesco and reported it all and told them the gf's sister is handling it and they said fine. Really nice guy on the phone who basicly hinted that if we didnt claim we would be mad!