What To Do If Someone Hits Your Parked Car

Many car accidents in Baltimore are severe and end with numerous people suffering serious personal injuries that change their lives. Other car crashes, though, seem minor by comparison.

One of these types of relatively minor car accidents is when your parked car gets hit. The vast majority of these incidents do not lead to any injuries because there was no one in the vehicle at the time of the collision. However, just because there were no injuries does not necessarily mean that the accident will not impact your life in any way. The property damage that you can suffer from the accident can be enough that your car is rendered undriveable and cannot be fixed, putting you in a difficult position if you count on your car to get to work and back.

You deserve compensation for your losses in these situations. The Baltimore attorneys at Gilman & Bedigian can get it for you by fighting for your rights and interests both inside the courtroom and outside of it.

Accidents that Damage Your Parked Car

Assuming that there was no one inside your vehicle at the time of the accident, crashes involving a parked car will fall into the field of property damage only accidents. Property damage only accidents tend to be less costly because there are no personal injuries that need medical attention, recovery time is less intense or lengthy for the victims, and the other legal damages are often less severe.

However, the property damage sustained in these crashes is far from trivial. You might find yourself facing several thousands of dollars of repair work to get your vehicle back on the road, or in need of a completely new car. The time this takes can cause you to miss hours or even days from work. Additionally, accidents that involve a parked car come with a complexity: there is an increased likelihood that the driver of the car that caused the crash will leave the scene.

What to Do When Another Driver Hits Your Parked Car and Flees the Scene

Being the victim in a car accident where the other driver damages your parked car and then flees the scene of the crash can be shocking, confusing, and even traumatizing. If you were not near your vehicle at the time of the accident, you might not notice the damage for hours afterward, leaving you feeling powerless. If you were close enough to see or hear the incident, the actions of the other driver can make you the angriest you have ever felt.

In these cases, it can be difficult to find out who was responsible for the accident. However, just because it will be difficult to track them down does not mean that it will be impossible. Contacting the police and your insurance company as soon as possible can be the best thing you can do. The police can conduct an investigation that will turn up evidence you will not have access to, such as security camera footage from nearby buildings. The police will also be able to create an accident report that your insurance company will want, should you file a claim for coverage. Contacting your insurance company is typically required by your insurance policy and will initiate the claims process.

What to Do When the Other Driver Hits Your Parked Car and Stays

When the other driver hits your parked car and either stays at the scene of the crash or leaves their contact information where you can find it, the process of getting the compensation you deserve to fix your car and recover from the incident is much easier.

In these circumstances, the following are the appropriate steps to take.

• Ask for the other driver’s name, address, phone number, and name of their insurance company if they are still at the scene, or use their contact information to gather this information if they only left a note.
• Call the police to notify them of the crash and to get a police report of what happened.
• Call your insurance company to report the accident.

Just as important as to what you should do is what you should not do in this situation. Discussing what happened with the other driver, getting details of the crash, or trying to apportion blame is a job for the police and the relevant insurance companies. If you make a mistake, say something wrong, or try to console the other driver about their role in the crash, it can come back to haunt you in the long run. Everything that you say in these circumstances can be used against you.

It Matters Which Insurance Policy Pays for the Crash

Nearly every crash that involves a parked vehicle is the fault of the driver. After all, it is not like the parked vehicle was moving at the time of the collision. Because you were not at fault, there is no reason why you should be the one to pay for the costs associated with the accident. They were the negligent party; they should be held responsible.

While it might seem that using your own insurance to cover the costs of the crash will not hurt you—after all, it is the insurance company’s money—this is not the case. Victims of these kinds of crashes can see their insurance company raise their premiums after the accident, despite the fact that it was not their fault, simply because the insurance company now sees the victim as more accident prone. Additionally, victims can suffer if they have a deductible on their insurance policy or if the costs of the damage exceed their policy’s maximum payout.

Baltimore Car Accident Attorneys at Gilman & Bedigian

The personal injury attorneys at the Baltimore law office of Gilman & Bedigian fight for your rights and interests, even if you have not been hurt in a car crash. if your parked car was hit, you deserve to be compensated for the property damage you have suffered. Contact us online to get started on your case.