Advice on car accident please

happy81

Hi, I'm looking for advice,I was driving through my local village yesterday evening, the street was heavy with traffic going both directions, a lady pushed her car door out just as I came up by the side of her car and it caught my front wing and badly dented it,her car door seemed fine but wouldn't close properly,when I parked to speak to her she said she never looked before opening door,she asked me to wait to speak with her husband,when he arrived he claimed I was the only person at fault even though she told him she didn't look, I could not have swerved at the time as I would have hit the car coming against me,we exchanged details as they were from another county,this morning she text to say she has to replace the full door so is looking for 450,no mention of damage to my car, what should I do? Thank you

GreeBo

Contact your insurance company, this is what you pay them for.

partyguinness

Thats ^^

Do not get into text/email battle. In fact I wouldnt contact them at all.

drunkmonkey

See can you sort it out for cash, this isn't worth either of you claiming unless you've your no claims bonus insured.

I very much doubt the door needs to be replaced it just needs to be realigned which I assume is done by now.
€450 would be very cheap for a new door to be supplied, fitted and painted. There just trying to get a few euro off you, I'd ring the lady and see can you figure out something. I wouldn't put anything in writing/text until you agree something.

GreeBo

drunkmonkey wrote: »

See can you sort it out for cash, this isn't worth either of you claiming unless you've your no claims bonus insured.

I very much doubt the door needs to be replaced it just needs to be realigned which I assume is done by now.
€450 would be very cheap for a new door to be supplied, fitted and painted. There just trying to get a few euro off you, I'd ring the lady and see can you figure out something. I wouldn't put anything in writing/text until you agree something.

Why do you pay an insurance company hundreds and then just pay someone cash when they open a door into your car?

OP, dont contact them directly, let your insurance company sort it out, if they decide that you are liable then you can offer to settle privately (but by your description you are not liable imo)

drunkmonkey

GreeBo wrote: »

Why do you pay an insurance company hundreds and then just pay someone cash when they open a door into your car?

I'm pretty sure there's an excess on the policy, were only talking a couple of hundred here or maybe nothing depending on how the conversation goes. It's two peoples word against one and the guards weren't called.
I'd be included to pay them nothing as I doubt they want their insurance to go up.

Eggs For Dinner

Advise your insurers, leave it to them, do not get in to discussion with the 3rd party

jimmycrackcorm

GreeBo wrote: »

Contact your insurance company, this is what you pay them for.

He should be contacting their insurance company to make a claim.

The RSA might agree about responsibility to look before opening the door... https://youtu.be/JB9d-c-M7D0

Del2005

drunkmonkey wrote: »

See can you sort it out for cash, this isn't worth either of you claiming unless you've your no claims bonus insured.

I very much doubt the door needs to be replaced it just needs to be realigned which I assume is done by now.
€450 would be very cheap for a new door to be supplied, fitted and painted. There just trying to get a few euro off you, I'd ring the lady and see can you figure out something. I wouldn't put anything in writing/text until you agree something.

The OP doesn't owe them a cent. They opened their car door into traffic so the OP isn't at fault so doesn't need to pay for their damage.

As they are taking the urine I say let insurance sort it out.

Sultan of Bling

Dash cam dash cam dash cam, precisely for situations like this.

As others said contact your insurer. Dont give them a cent.

Keep us posted.

GreeBo

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm pretty sure there's an excess on the policy, were only talking a couple of hundred here or maybe nothing depending on how the conversation goes. It's two peoples word against one and the guards weren't called.
I'd be included to pay them nothing as I doubt they want their insurance to go up.

Its not two peoples word against one, based on the damage it should be pretty obvious what happened, unless their argument is that the OP blindly drove into an open door, in which they will still be somewhat liable for opening a door in heavy traffic.

Again, let the insurers sort it out, just contacting their insurer wont work, contact yours and let them take care of it all. *if* you are found liable (in any part) then you can think about settling outside of your policy.

seagull

Is the dent in the front or side of the car? If it's in the side, then they can hardly claim you drove into an already open door, and you ask them to pay up.