Law question

[iluvkittens]

I bumped (and I do mean bumped) a guys car. I'm a woman (25) and he went totally shyko on me and I cried. Apparently crying makes even the biggest loon stop yelling. Anyway basically all he said was replace the license plate frame and we'd be even. There were no witnesses and no cops or anything called. There was no damage to the car and the damage to the frame is very small (replacing it is seriously absurd but whatever it's 20 bucks) My question is, legally is it he said she said and he basically has no recourse if I don't? I'm just interested, I'm going to replace it regardless even though there's no chance the bump damaged it.

[beenben]

no damage = no recourse. he could say you were at fault but if you really just bumped the car and nothing was damaged, then he has no recourse.

[chesspain]

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Anyway basically all he said was replace the license plate frame and we'd be even. There was no damage to the car and the damage to the frame is very small (replacing it is seriously absurd but whatever it's 20 bucks)

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It will likely cost more than $20, but how much more I have no idea. FWIW, "damage to the frame" = "damage to the car."


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My question is, legally is it he said she said and he basically has no recourse if I don't?...There were no witnesses and no cops or anything called

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Well, I assume he has your name, address, and phone number, which he clearly would not have picked out of a phonebook at random. In addition, when one car collides into the back of another, the presumption is that the person behind drove into the person in front, which places the person behind at fault. Finally, you don't have to have witnesses or a police statement for him to sue you if you don't pay.

Conclusion: You are responsible, and you need to pay to have his car fixed.

[rjoefish]

This is why women shouldn't drive, not only do the realize that crying can get them out of almost anything, when they fail to have that tactic work they just decide that everyone, this case the cops, will believe them over a guy. Especially if they cry in front of the cops.

And Chess, when she said frame I think she was just referring to the license plate frame.

[Oski]

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Anyway basically all he said was replace the license plate frame and we'd be even. There was no damage to the car and the damage to the frame is very small (replacing it is seriously absurd but whatever it's 20 bucks)

[/ QUOTE ]

It will likely cost more than $20, but how much more I have no idea. FWIW, "damage to the frame" = "damage to the car."


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My question is, legally is it he said she said and he basically has no recourse if I don't?...There were no witnesses and no cops or anything called

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I assume he has your name, address, and phone number, which he clearly would not have picked out of a phonebook at random. In addition, when one car collides into the back of another, the presumption is that the person behind drove into the person in front, which places the person behind at fault. Finally, you don't have to have witnesses or a police statement for him to sue you if you don't pay.

Conclusion: You are responsible, and you need to pay to have his car fixed.

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If I understand the OP correctly, when she said "bumped ..." she means that she barely made contact with the car.

If this is the case, it could be verly likely that the only damage to the car is the license plate frame. If this is so, that would be the amount of damages, period.

At best, he may claim his bumper needs replacing as those are only good for a certain amount of impacts. However, we are talking only a few hundred dollars (and he would still have to prove his case). His risk/hassel v. reward does not favor him pursuing the issue ... even in small claims.

Since he was a prick, I would shine him on. Damage is minimal, there is no duty to report the "accident", there is no further recourse unless he wishes to bring a small claims suit. However, the amount he could possibly get is not worth the trouble.

Indeed, you should pay for the plate frame ... but I would ignore him since he is a prick. There is no justification in this situtation for the guy to behave as he did.