Please forgive me, but I'm rather shaken up

[TarinJade]

So, about two and a half hours ago, I'm driving through an intersection of a busy shopping center in my area when I'm hit on my side by another driver.

I had no stop sign, but he did. We pulled into a nearby lot to make sure the other wasn't hurt and exchanged contact information. His car was a rental, and hopefully the company's insurance will cover both of our cars, since it was his fault. My car took more damage than his. We didn't contact the police right away. I honestly did not know what to do, since at the time I was shaken up (still am) and I'm totally inexperienced with these matters. I was afraid of my insurance going up, but it looks like that will happen anyway. His rental company advised him to file a report with the police, and I'm going to file a report tomorrow.

Hopefully, this whole matter will be resolved quickly and easily.

What I want to ask everybody is whether or not these kinds of things have happened to you guys, and if so, did you drive yourself crazy with thoughts like "what if I had done this differently?" or "what if I had just gone straight home from work?" I am, and I know I shouldn't be thinking that stuff, but I can't help it.

 

[Sdeidjs]

So, about two and a half hours ago, I'm driving through an intersection of a busy shopping center in my area when I'm hit on my side by another driver.

I had no stop sign, but he did. We pulled into a nearby lot to make sure the other wasn't hurt and exchanged contact information. His car was a rental, and hopefully the company's insurance will cover both of our cars, since it was his fault. My car took more damage than his. We didn't contact the police right away. I honestly did not know what to do, since at the time I was shaken up (still am) and I'm totally inexperienced with these matters. I was afraid of my insurance going up, but it looks like that will happen anyway. His rental company advised him to file a report with the police, and I'm going to file a report tomorrow.

Hopefully, this whole matter will be resolved quickly and easily.

What I want to ask everybody is whether or not these kinds of things have happened to you guys, and if so, did you drive yourself crazy with thoughts like "what if I had done this differently?" or "what if I had just gone straight home from work?" I am, and I know I shouldn't be thinking that stuff, but I can't help it.

My goodness gracious...We hope you are ok...please keep an eye on yourself...as time goes by you will probably become more & more sore...and or bruised...Depending how hard you were hit...

Please check with your insurance policy and if need be... your attorney

 

[cass]

I was driving out of the mall where I work when a girl ran a stop sign and hit the side of my car, this was several years ago. We moved our cars out of the way and the first thing the cop did when he arrived on the scene was tell us of for moving our cars. It was snowing and I really didn't feel like parking in the middle of an intersection and getting hit again. lol

Glad you are ok and I hope everything works out and this won't cost you anything.

 

[LindaC781]

So, about two and a half hours ago, I'm driving through an intersection of a busy shopping center in my area when I'm hit on my side by another driver.

I had no stop sign, but he did. We pulled into a nearby lot to make sure the other wasn't hurt and exchanged contact information. His car was a rental, and hopefully the company's insurance will cover both of our cars, since it was his fault. My car took more damage than his. We didn't contact the police right away. I honestly did not know what to do, since at the time I was shaken up (still am) and I'm totally inexperienced with these matters. I was afraid of my insurance going up, but it looks like that will happen anyway. His rental company advised him to file a report with the police, and I'm going to file a report tomorrow.

Hopefully, this whole matter will be resolved quickly and easily.

What I want to ask everybody is whether or not these kinds of things have happened to you guys, and if so, did you drive yourself crazy with thoughts like "what if I had done this differently?" or "what if I had just gone straight home from work?" I am, and I know I shouldn't be thinking that stuff, but I can't help it.

You need to file a police report right away. As soon as you can.

 

[Mechi]

Oh sheeeeesh that's what certainly nobody needs!!! I hope you're doing ok or at least will have a speedy recovery.
No matter if with your fault or not I think every accident is so upsetting cuz it's usually with a lot of consequences...
so here's my story...
I was hit by another driver crossing a red light once and ended up with my car completely damaged.
In germany it's pretty common to imediately call for the police if something like this happened. So they have a chance to clear at the scene of the accident imediately who did most likely what... often they clear already there who was wrong. As I had no mobile with me I asked ppl at the scene to call. They had no mobile also but one young guy ran to the gas station which was at the corner and they had already called the police.
As the girl who was the driver hitting me, seemed not to be really hurted somehow and just left her car saying all the time: "Oh no what have I done, what have I done..."
...it was first me saving the place of the accident in closing parts of the streets with the help of some ppl who were there... this was important cuz of all the broken glas and parts of the two involved cars laying around. I didn't want to see other cars passing by damaged by that.
It was helpfull that those ppl helping me also said that they've seen the accident happening, so I asked them to please stay till the police would be there.
The girl who did hit my car was with a complete shock, so she was sitting at the side of the street and I gave her a blanket out of my car till the police arrived.
They imediately noticed that the other girl must have passed the red sign on her side and they wrote that in their report, so it was somewhat clear from that moment my insurance wouldn't even get involved.
Although I felt quiet ok the police drove me also with their police car to the next hospital cuz they've told me some injuries appear only much later cuz of all the adrenalin in the system after an accident when you try to take care of everything.
It was good that they've send me there cuz I had so many crushes and contusions which I really didn't notice before but they started to hurt in the hospital when I got more and more calm somewhat and I got some painkillers also for later at home. I even had a bleeding knee (I still have no idea how that happened) and got an injection for that there wouldn't happen an infection... plus I couldn't work for at least three weeks.
My salery this way was also paid by the insurance of that other girl.
As I do have an insurance for stuff like this happening I also called a lawyer the next day... just in case... it was a good thing also cuz he gave me advices about how to take care of stuff like a car for rent till mine would be repaired... you know how to do all that stuff without giving my own money for it.
Well it still was somewhat an annoying running around what I had to do... getting my car into the fixing place, several visits at the doctors, then later buying a new car etc. etc.... I certainly don't need anything like this ever again.

 

[Raylo]

This kind of thing seems to be quite common. Something similar happened to me a few years ago - a girl didn't stop at a stop sign because she was "in a hurry" and she ended up crashing into me. Luckily it wasn't a big accident (although I was really annoyed because this kind of thing causes unnecessary stress). The girl also admitted she hadn't stopped at the sign and she was apparently charged with reckless driving.

I had been in a bigger car accident before (no one was hurt though) and I did find myself wondering - what if we didn't stop for drinks, what if we left sooner or later? A few seconds and we would have not been in an accident. But then it's the eternal question - perhaps if you avoided the accident you could have been involved in something worse. It's just the way life works sometimes I think.

 

[Prince Of Pop]

You should have called the police right after the incident. Even if it was a fender bender and no one is injured, the authorities need to be notified so the ycan take statements on what happened, and question any witnesses that might have seen the accident. The driver could say it was your fault and you could get screwed.

 

[144000]

unfortuanately, it's best to have witnesses in this situation, because, most likely, the other driver will say it's your fault, even if the both of you gave police reports, immediately.

 

[soulmum]

It's quite natural to be shaken up. Look at at this way, nobody was seriously hurt. Better a battered car than an injured human being. Hopefully the insurance company will sort things out. Pointless worrying about 'what if's'. Take it easy and try not to worry.