Car accident help

pieInTheSky

Hey all,

This is a bit long so thanks in advance for reading:D

About 2 weeks ago my next store neighbour hit the side on my car, and dented the door a bit. My car was parked outsie of my house. I'm more annoyed that there was so much room for him not to hit it!! I'm not sure if he knew he had hit it, but my brother saw him out of his window. My bro said it looked as if he had gone forward instead of reversing. By the time he got outside, my neighbour had driven off. I went in next store and asked when he'd be back. They said sometime later.
So i waited in for him to get back. I rang the guards and asked what procedure I should take. The lady on the phone said if we could solve it between ourselves it would be good, as we're neighbours. So ok finally he came back and came out to me. He asked was I sure it was, I said "Ye my brother saw you". He said well i can't deny it if you say someone saw me. He said not to go through insurance and that he'd pay for it. I thought alright that's fine. There's wasn't a lot of damage so I didn't think it would cost to much. He came into me bout 10min later and said he knew someone that could fix it quickly/cheaply. I don't know anyone and hey i thought ye ok I don't mind as long as it gets fixed.
SO this happen on a sunday. He came in on monday and said his friend was away till wens and he didn't get paid till friday, so we could go on sat to have a look at it. That was okay for me, not his fault his friend was away. So on fri I hadn't heard what time on sat, so my mom went in to ask. She knocked and no one answered. She had a quick look at his car and it looked like the insurance disc was out of date. He'd only had the car for a bit so maybe he was waiting for the disc. We took down his licence plate number just to have. So on sat I waited in with no sign of him, I went in next store at 2 to see if maybe he'd come home late last night. The lady who lives upstairs said he often goes out and doesn't come back on sat. I said to the woman sorry to disturp her. It's a rented house, with a couple upstairs and him in the garage room. They don't really know each other so i felt really bad that i keep going into her.
Anyway, I was furious, like he didn't even call to say something came up or anything, so I went with my mom to a garage to get a few quotes. We got three, one for 500, one for 840 and one for 1160. I said we'll just go with the 500 as it is a lot of money for a little bump. Later that evening about 6 he came in, I had gone out, so my mom answered and he said so sorry, sorry. He had started a new job and was suppose to get his emergancy tax back but he didn't so hopefully this friday. My mom said this friday is the last day or we'll have to go through insurance, and gave him the quotes. He said trust me, trust me. So low and behold the next day his car is gone. Honestly I thoguht he'd done a runner. I didn't see him until wens, when he came back in another car and then that car left. I was glad he was back even if the car wasn't. Still a bit like why is it gone?, but my mom said give him till friday.

So on friday I was a work and when I got home, he had been into my mom and said he didn't get his tax, that he was so stressed and that on monday he could pay. She told him he could pay in installments if it was too much. My mom also said it looked like someone had been moving out. So of course things start to race through my mind. I went in and asked the lady if he was in. She said no, I asked if he was still living there. She said no he just moved out!! Honestly I felt like a fool, I didn't have his last name or anything. I got his mobile number of the lady and rang him. I rang him 3 times and he didn't answer. I was getting ready to make a report to the guards when he rang back.
My mom answered, I was WAY to angry to be calm. He said don't worry, you can trust me. She asked him where are you moving to, wants your last name, etc. He said why do you need to know. She explained that if he disappeared that we'd have to file a report with the guards. So once again he said no no on monday I'll be there. So now its monday and low and behold, nothing. Basically I'm wondering what my next steps should be? I plan to file report with the guards. My friend is doing law and said i should file with the small claims court but how do i do that if i don't know his address? Any information would seriously be a help. I'm a learner and this is my first accident and i wasn't even in the car!!.

Atlantic Dawn

Go straight through his insurance, no point in messing around with him, you gave him the reasonable choice to pay and he failed. It will only end in tears and hassle if you try to get him to pay.

partyatmygaff

Straight to the insurance or guards. He has no intention of paying you back.

maglite

Gardai,

Sounds like he might have no insurance. They would be interested in that sort of crack. unfortunetly looks like a case where you'll end up paying.

TylerIE

Unless your mother is willing to pay the cost and not hold it over you I'd quit listening to her. Forget installments, etc. She may have the best of intentions and be of the era of not involving the Gardai etc but its gonna cost You.

You've already spent money calling him added to the stress. If hes moved away even if he does pay one or two installments whose to say he wont suddenly get sniffy / lose his job/ expect you to collect the money of him / etc.

Report it to the Gardai and Insurance straight away, else theres a good chance your out of pocket. I hope you have the registration of the vehicle he was driving that hit yours.

If he has the money to pay it off then some insurance companies will allow him to repay the claim so its at zero cost to them.

jinkybhoy

Report to the Gardai - They should be able to track his name and details through the reg of car.

If he's not insured - you will be able to recover the money from the uninsured drivers bureau. You will need the gardai to confirm that he isn't insured first - that'll be the difficult bit!!

If he is insured - go directly to his insurer and get them to send assessor out urgently before you decide to go and get the more expensive price to repair your car.