Advice please - RTA

headoverheels

Hi all, I'm just wondering as anyone ever experienced anything similar to myself.

I was involved in a minor road traffic accident a few months ago where I stupidly bumped off someone due to getting sick in the car (morning sickness) and didn't brake in time and scraped the back of the car in front of me slightly.
I know I am liable for this.

Long story short we pulled over to see if all was ok and establish damage ect.
I decided to call the Gardai just so a statement was taken and it was logged.

Gardai advised me to just pay for the back bumper to be sprayed and asked was their any injuries ect and thankfully there wasn't. All was grand we went about our daily business and I just said I'd contact my insurance to make then aware I didn't want to claim through insurance so I didn't.
2 weeks later I paid for the damage caused to the persons car as soon as I got the quote and fixed my own.

Fast forward 2 months later from accident I get a solicitor letter stating that I hit such a person violently causing severe personal injury ect ect. So I was being sued for damages my insurance rang me and saying they also received same and would be taking care of it from here.
The solicitor letter was fairly dramatic and made out that injured person was almost killed by myself on the day.
I'm aware that it's their job to put the wind up people however, the account was anything but what actually happened.

I leave it go as im pregnant just buried my sibling and have a parent in hospital this is all the least of my worries at this stage.

Insurance went up the usual and decided to just take it on the chin.
Months pass and I think in my own mind I'll put it down to a bad experience but today I received a personal injury board letter from "injured person" can someone tell me what this means please and where do I go from here?

what's annoying me so much I know this woman is bluffing it, shes not aware but I know somebody that is working with her (small world). I'm not denying that she might be injured or was at the time of the accident but the letter is very vague and not saying what shes claiming for
Only that's she out of work and is self employed neither statements are true that I can be sure of.

Is there anything I can do?
Thanks

Claw Hammer

Tell your insurance company what happened. It was silly not to tell them at the time. Anything you know about bluffing will help as they may try to defend the case on the grounds of exaggeration or fraud.

Odelay

Claw Hammer wrote: »

Tell your insurance company what happened. It was silly not to tell them at the time. Anything you know about bluffing will help as they may try to defend the case on the grounds of exaggeration or fraud.

Exactly as above, tell all this to your insurance company.

hullaballoo

Yep, I agree with the above 100% - tell your insurance company you may have evidence of fraud and give them all the details you are aware of.

Beyond that, there's no point worrying as it's being handled by your insurance company. That's exactly what you pay insurance for.

Just one slight concern I have that's not clear from your post but your insurance company is not entitled to increase your premium mid-term (i.e. between "renewal dates"). Now, depending on your circumstances and the amounts involved, it may or may not be worth your while looking into that part further.

headoverheels

Sorry it probably isn't clear from my post but I did notify my insurance company the moment the accident happened but I told them there was minimum damage so would be covering the cost myself.

They are aware of what's happening and have photos that I took on the morning of each car, plus the receipts to show that I paid for said damage.

Also my insurance was due for renwal in the meantime so i imagine it increased due to the pending claim against me
I had no choice but to stick with them as you cannot change insurance companies when a claim has not been settled yet so i am told.

Claw Hammer

headoverheels wrote: »

Sorry it probably isn't clear from my post but I did notify my insurance company the moment the accident happened but I told them there was minimum damage so would be covering the cost myself.

They are aware of what's happening and have photos that I took on the morning of each car, plus the receipts to show that I paid for said damage.

You should pass on all letters from solicitors, PIAB etc to your insurance company.

headoverheels

Yes, I intend on contacting insurance asap,
The letter I received today states i have 90 days to contest whatever injury she is claiming for as i said previously it's vague and doesn't state what that injury is only that she's claiming loss of earnings

Claw Hammer

That is a usual gambit. The thing to remember is that your insurance company has the right to decide how to defend the case or even if to defend it at all. It is an unpleasant fact of motoring life that an innocent motorist can end up having their no claims bonus screwed over as a result of a fraudster feigning injury.

headoverheels

Yeah it's the joys of driving, it's a very unfair system really and frustrating that you can't really prove the person is actually injured or not, hence why insurance costs are spiking for everybody.

Interestingly reading over the letter I received i just realised this is her second claim in the last year.
Why would they disclose that information with me?

peteb2

Because they have send on a copy of the application she has completed and it forms part of that. Just send to your insurance and stop worrying about it. They will take care of the rest.