A friend of mine was coming home from a date with a provider when he got into a fender bender on a highway. It was low speed but since he had told his wife he was out fishing that day on a boat, he had no idea how he would explain it to her so he panicked and peeled out and left the scene without exchanging info. The other driver was unhurt. It was low impact (under 10 mph)
The damage was minimal and could be explained as having happened in a parking lot or while parked if she noticed it at all. The thing is, my pal got an email two days later from his insurance company regarding his "claim" on that date even though he never reported it. He is now freaking out about getting arrested or worse, the wife finding out! What do I tell him? I'm no lawyer. IMHO he should have stopped and handled it with cash. But he panicked and ran. Anybody got any advice for this dude
that would explain his location?
In any case, he should get right with the law. In many states you do not have to make a police report on a minor accident, but he does have to give information to the other driver. It looks like the other driver already has his info.
If he hasn't heard from the cops, then he's probably OK as long as the other driver isn't looking to press charges for hit and run.
He can always tell the wife that the accident occurred someplace while going to or from the fishing venue. With any hope, she will not see the actual forms that describe the location.
(still not a lawyer)
He was thinking of telling his wife that it happened while parked on the street while at work in NYC. He would come back to the car and "Discover" the damage. If he hadn't gotten the notification from the insurance company via email today that was what was going to happen tomorrow. He lives on LI in Suffolk County but the accident was a Nassau County thing. He just wants this to go away poor bastard
He can say that he ran into someone whose car died on him and he offered him a ride home Nassau County when the accident occurred.
he needs to respond to that right away. Since he left, he doesn't have the other party's number to make a private settlement offer. He should have given / gotten information to minimize the event.
If he needs to file a Police report he could claim it was unsafe because of traffic or something. Maybe he can claim he thought there was no damage & no one was hurt...
He needs to be proactive NOW so hopefully the wife doesn't find out. No reason the wife needs to know.
the paper work will list a location (city, state). Aknowledge the accident & let the insurance cover everything. He may never hear anything more about it. The paper work will list a location (but maybe he can keep that from her). Think up a plan B story if she figures out the date. Simplest is always best. No one was hurt. Accidents are upsetting so it's natural if he seems upset to her.
Several years ago, I slid down a icy slick hill... right into someone who was stopped... I was going very slow & knew we were going to bump despite my doing everything possible. I couldn't turn because of a high snow bank. I even beeped my horn so he'd know to brace. We both looked & there was no damage & the other guys says to me... "WE need to get the F*ck out of here before somebody else comes over that hill & creams us!" So we did. Very lucky indeed. (& flip off the AH in front of him that made us stop is such a dangerous place.)
I have to agree with you on all counts, good advice would be wasted on this idiot. Most likely he will have to simply face the consequences of his stupidity.