My brother gets rear-ended, and the person who actually caused the accident drives off
By The Horse
@TheHorse (238390)
Walnut Creek, California
April 28, 2018 5:38pm CST
I may have mentioned this kind of thing in another post a few months back, but it actually happened to my brother near Boston the other day.
Someone made a ridiculous lane change two or three cars in front of him on a surface street. Both cars in front of him were able to slam on their brakes without hitting anyone, as was he.
But the woman behind my brother was not able to stop in time, and rear-ended my brother. Then the person behind her rear-ended her. The person who made the ridiculous (and probably illegal) lane change that caused the accident merrily drove off.
This one will be interesting legally. The woman who rear-ended my brother will be responsible (via insurance) for repairing his car, and I assume the person who rear-ended that woman will be responsible for repairing her car--at least the rear end. But how will the determine how much of the damage to her front end was caused by the second impact?
The person who actually cause the thing--gone like a train.
Have you aver experienced anything like this? I've been lucky a few times here in the Bay Area that the person behind me wasn't texting when I had to slam on my brakes.
14 people like this
16 responses
@ricki_911 (21625)
• Toronto, Ontario
28 Apr 18
I havent personally but i have been hit. People dont want to take the blame. I had a lady rear end me and start screaming how i was endangering her kids. I'm like umm you hit me.
3 people like this
@ricki_911 (21625)
• Toronto, Ontario
28 Apr 18
@TheHorse Yes, i said call the police you are the blame by law.... you hit me and im not arguing with an idiot. My car is old so if someone hits me and i put it through insurance goes against them as my car has no value. I told the lady that i wouldnt put it through insurance but if she wants to be an idiot i will.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (128859)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Apr 18
A month ago, I was sitting at a red light when I was rear-ended by a lady who was texting on her phone and not paying attention. She hit me so hard that it shoved me into the car in front of me. She had the nerve to get out and yell at me for the fact that she hit me. Her car was totaled, as well as the car in front of me that I hit when I was shoved forward. I have a big truck, and I only sustained minor front and rear bumper damage. Luckily, the woman in front of me that I hit realized the accident wasn't my fault, and so she said she would go after the other ladies insurance for payment, since I had no control over the fact that I was rear-ended so hard it shot me forward into the other car.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (238390)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Apr 18
Why was the lady who hit you angry when it was her fault? Did she receive a lengthy jail sentence because she was texting and caused an accident? Was she an entitled Grandma type? I notice that you live in Florida, where many Grandmas live.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128859)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Apr 18
@TheHorse I live in a college town (University of Florida), so very few old people here. She was a college student. I think she was angry at herself that she was texting and driving and not paying attention. I think she just took out her anger on me. Her car was brand new, she hadn't even made her first payment on it, and it was totaled. I think that is probably what made her so angry. And in Florida, texting and driving is a secondary offense, they have to catch you doing something else wrong first before they can add on a fine for texting and driving. And Florida is also a no-fault state, so she didn't even get a ticket for causing the accident.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238390)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Apr 18
@moffittjc Does that mean your insurance has to pay for the damage to your car? I wouldn't want to live somewhere where good drivers financially support the habits of bad drivers.
1 person likes this
@Lolaze (5092)
• St. Louis, Missouri
30 Apr 18
@TheHorse There are lawyers everywhere that take these cases and only get paid if they win (a % of the winnings or settlement). He needs to at least get a free consult immediately. The person who hit him will have their insurance involved, their goal is to pay as little as possible.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (69255)
• Centralia, Washington
29 Apr 18
@TheHorse My Mom walked and never drove her entire life. She got hit by a college student one afternoon. I talked and talked and never got her to get a lawyer cause it wasn't "nice." The lawyer that I hired did not cost me much and I sure am glad I did.
@mlgen1037 (29882)
• Manila, Philippines
29 Apr 18
Some people are so immature that they do not want to face the mistakes they did. Tsk tsk. So far it never happened to me.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238390)
• Walnut Creek, California
1 May 18
@mlgen1037 No, its always someone else's fault.
1 person likes this
@mlgen1037 (29882)
• Manila, Philippines
29 Apr 18
@TheHorse Yes, indeed. But they never saw themselves to be the culprit. 
1 person likes this
@Starmaiden (9308)
• Canada
28 Apr 18
Thankfully I dont drive so I've never experienced such an accident. Nor have I ever been a passenger in a car when something like this happens. But I have witnessed some close calls as a pedestrian.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238390)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Apr 18
@Starmaiden Do you have teens who intentionally walk slowly into traffic against the light, like we do here?
1 person likes this
@Starmaiden (9308)
• Canada
29 Apr 18
@TheHorse Most times, yes. It is the pedestrian having no respect for the driver that causes most of those types of accidents. I always wait until traffic has come to a complete stop all ways before I cross the street. Some pedestrians think they always have the right of way, even when they jaywalk. 
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (102699)
• India
30 Apr 18
I thought there are some recordings of such things. It would be nice if there can be an app that records left and right movements of vehicles and distance between one vehicle and the other and speed at which the person was traveling, and when the brake was applied. In fact, such recording should be made mandatory and people should have to stop using cell phone to allow such recordings. For any claims such recordings should be considered.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
29 Apr 18
The woman who rear ended your brother, I am sure the insurance just covers the repairs for your brothers car. I was rear ended last last year and I brought my car to her insurance company. They automatically said she was at fault and paid me a check actually for the repairs to bring it to any auto shop. I guess varies on insurance company.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
29 Apr 18
@TheHorse Yes I think so too. :) They want the case to be done and over with
@caopaopao (12395)
• China
29 Apr 18
I haven't experienced that yet, as i'm afraid of driving even though I got a driving license.
1 person likes this
@caopaopao (12395)
• China
29 Apr 18
@TheHorse I got my license a year ago. I just didn't want to drive as there are so many cars on the road. I know I must practice more. I will drive more during my summer vacations.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238390)
• Walnut Creek, California
1 May 18
@caopaopao I don't know that I'd enjoy driving in China. The roads might be too crowded for me.
1 person likes this
@akalinus (44366)
• United States
29 Apr 18
My son was making a turn. A guy with a truck was hot-rodding on the grass between the highway and the tracks. He smashed into my son and totaled his car. The truck was not damaged. He stopped and showed my son his license. He took a picture of the guy's license, plate, and himself. Then the guy took off. The guy was supposed to pay the difference between what the insurance paid out and what the car payments were. He came once and paid something so he could get his license restored. He was supposed to pay every month but has not shown up. My son loved his Suburu.
1 person likes this
@lookatdesktop (27156)
• Dallas, Texas
28 Apr 18
We were almost rear ended by a car speeding who turned off but fortunately went beside us instead of hitting us. I have seen chain wrecks like the one you have described. The cars end up going every which way and it is almost impossible to know who hit who first and which way they were headed. I hope your brother wasn't hurt. I really hope he gets a good settlement.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238390)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Apr 18
@lookatdesktop Our conversation today was brief. I'll check in with him tomorrow.
1 person likes this
@lookatdesktop (27156)
• Dallas, Texas
28 Apr 18
@TheHorse I would have to ask, Did your brother take pics of the accident? - good to have for insurance claims. but if he has any kind of back problems, he should get a doctor's clean bill of health and if there are problems, directly caused by that rear ender, then that would likely give him more to take to a lawyer to get even a greater amount from the settlement.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
29 Apr 18
My wife has been rear ended about three times over the years. I have not yet, but always hold my breath when I have stop quickly or even for a yellow light on its way to red.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238390)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Apr 18
@JamesHxstatic It can be a tough one, even for experienced drivers.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
29 Apr 18
@TheHorse Yes, it's a judgment call every time.
1 person likes this
@nosleee3134 (214)
• United States
29 Apr 18
I believe the one who caused intial collision should fit the bill. unfortantly due to how a accident is evaluated between motorist and insurance company damage must be recoverd from each individual causeing each motorist the state minimum of liabilty. i believe "dont quote me"
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14756)
• San Jose, California
29 Apr 18
We had a car rear end us once when we stopped for a pedestrian in the crosswalk. Our car needed repairs, it was the driver's very first accident ever, and the pedestrian panicked and ran away.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238390)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Apr 18
@spiderdust Such a pain. But the ultimate result was satisfactory?
@spiderdust (14756)
• San Jose, California
29 Apr 18
@TheHorse Sort of. The person for the insurance company who was handling the case switched offices, and the new person was difficult to reach, so it took a while.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
29 Apr 18
It is surprising how often irresponsible drivers leave a trail of carnage behind them....and are totally oblivious as they drive merrily down the road.
1 person likes this
