It is more common than one would think to have their parked car hit by another driver. Sometimes, it is a hit and run, where the at fault driver will flee the scene. If you are lucky enough to catch the other driver- or they leave a note, you should remain calm before you start panicking. If the driver is still present, there are some steps you can take to further along the process while you wait for police to arrive. First, you should call the police and make sure you obtain the other driver’s name, their phone number, their address, and their insurance company information. Do this before the police arrive. Assess both cars and see if there is anything visibly damaged. After, give your statement to the police.
If this was a hit and run, you will need to stay at the scene and not drive off to try and catch whoever hit you. Try and look for witnesses or cameras that may have caught the crime in action. If you see any, ask for their phone number and for them to write down a testimony of what they saw, and then sign and date it. Call the police and file a report with them, even if the other driver left a note. This way, all evidence and testimony by you is preserved in a legal document. You will also want to write down the exact location (for example, “Macy’s parking garage, level three, row five) and the time you saw the damaged vehicle. The more information that you obtain, the higher the likelihood that police will catch the other driver. You will also want to take photos of your car and the surrounding areas from different angles. Take close up pictures of any markings that can incriminate another driver, like another car’s paint markings on yours. The last thing you should do is contact your insurance and notify them of the hit and run. This will begin your claims process and carry it along faster.
Contact an Attorney
If your insurance company thinks you are trying to commit fraud, having an attorney present will be of big help. Because some drivers have hit an object and then attempt to claim they were the victim of a hit and run, insurance companies always investigate fully before providing coverage on the hit vehicle.