[Closed] Damn, ambulance chasing lawyer letter - what to do.

No witnesses?

It didn't happen.

Ignore is fine. If they were real people they'd be taking to your insurance.

Does the letter mention her, or any injury? Maybe just chancers who have your name from somewhere. I'd ignore it to start with.

Letter does state her name and the date of the incident, but not any injury.
No witnesses, (I didn't and she drove off) and I don't think Sainsburys would have kept any CCTV for 6 months would they?

Send the correspondence to your insurance and tell them there was no injury and leave it to them?

Write on the envelope "no longer at address" and pop in the post. They should give up then.

Call your insurers, tell them what happened but downplay it to the point where both cars were travelling at no more than 5mph - you were in supermarket carpark and always drive at less than walking pace when you're there.
Tell them the other driver wasn't bothered but to receive a letter 6 months after the event from ambulance chasers is clearly trying it on; she could have sustained a claimed injury at any time in the past 6 months and is looking to get some easy money.
Online search for information about the ambulance chasers will tell you something about what they are.
As for the options you list:
1. this will affect your premium next time around
2. safe to ignore if you talk with your insurers
3. if you deny, how did she get your name & address

Insurers are p***ed off with spurious claims and will take all reasonable steps to reject a speculative claim.
It's your call but I know what I would do.

Sending it back with moved away, not a bad idea.

Frank - it's an honest plan, but I fear I'll have to answer the question about accidents in the last five years question which will increase my premiums.

There is no proof now of my involvement apart from her word against mine, and possibly my name and address scribbled on a piece of paper.

Edit -as far as I know.

She crashed into you didn't she? iirc she reversed into your door

Ask on pepipoo. Prolly Ignore is best.

Ignore it. You never received a letter it got lost in the post.
If they write again you ring them and tell them you don't know what they're talking about. No police incident number, no insurance claim, no chance. Unless you admit it then you're screwed!

It's a solicitors letter not a court summons, you don't have to reply at all if you don't want to. Just leave it and see if they get in touch again. Don't tell your insurance yet, not worth it, the bar stewards will only hike your premium.

Did you give her your insurance details at the time? I think yo have to do so within a certain time or report it to the police. Not sure but be very careful you are on the right side of the law.

tthew - Member
... and possibly my name and address scribbled on a piece of paper.

[s]Ignore as long as you can then inform your insurance company to let them deal with it.[/s] Edited.

Never ever volunteer information. Never ever coz there are simply too many lowlife scumbags walking this earth.

Also as per advice given by tjagain.

Firstly you're not "guilty" of anything.

Secondly you giving her your name and address proves nothing.

Thirdly you have no obligation to respond or to give them any information at all.

This is an attempt to intimidate you into compliance and admission of responsibility. They prey on vulnerable people who panic when they see an official looking letter with legal mumbo jumbo in it. The sort of reaction that Wonga were looking for when they set up that fake law firm to chase people for money a couple of years back.

Throw it in the bin.

If you subsequently get further, more threatening letters drop me an email and I'll help you.

I had the same thing happen to me. I reversed into a car at a snails pace whilst parking. We sorted it out like adults and went our separate way. Later that day the Police turned up at my door and told me the driver had suffered serious neck injuries!

Turns out she was trying it on and eventually the insurance company refused her claim. But whilst the whole thing rumbled on (> 1 year) I had to declare it whilst getting insurance.

Throw it in the bin.

curto80 - Member
Throw it in the bin.

If you subsequently get further, more threatening letters drop me an email and I'll help you.

This ^^^ best advice.

and possibly my name and address scribbled on a piece of paper.

You gave that to her cos you'd been trying to chat her up, no.

Legend and curto80 summed it up nicely.

I'd add, both parties exchanged details - 6 months later it wouldn't be unreasonable to claim that details have gone missing.

Good advice from curto, as I type this I see a car accident lawyer ad pop up on rhs....

Chancers we get them all the time having done nothing, ignore it.

unless it's been sent recorded delivery just bin it. And don't sign for anything recorded delivery for the next 6 months.

If they write again you ring them and tell them you don't know what they're talking about.

Never, ever speak to them on the phone. It's too easy to let something slip which may give them more info / incriminate you. If they ring you, insist that you'll only discuss any alleged incidents in writing and put the phone down.

Thanks for your suggestions everyone, I'm pleased that the concencus is that I shouldn't engage with them and definitely not admit any involvement.

Curto80, that's kind, and I may take you up on the offer.

Tjagain, I'm confident that you don't need to report every tiny thing, so I'm not on the wrong side of the law as there was no injuries.

I'm not on the wrong side of the law as there was no injuries

Ah, but that's where you appear to be wrong. 😈

The police won't be the slightest bit interested after 6 months though.

Is this what happens to the other person when you go through with those "we understand you've been in an accident" cold calls?

I had a low speed (walking pace) parking bump 2 years ago. Reversed into the car behind while parallel parking. No damage to mine. no damage to hers.

In the end my insurance company paid out 8k for whiplash. All said and done its cheaper in the short term for them to support insurance fraud than fight the individual cases.

For you the fact that she never contacted her insurance company won't help.

But my first step would be to ask for a detailed break down and sight of the invoice for the repair to her car. If there isn't anything then whiplash will be harder to make. The one I knocked claimed new bumper, bonnet, front wings... 🙄

Always take copious pictures of anything, no matter how reasonable everyone seems to be being.

I'm not on the wrong side of the law as there was no injuries
Ah, but that's where you appear to be wrong.

Is this what happens to the other person when you go through with those "we understand you've been in an accident" cold calls?

By coincidence the claim firm is only 5 mins down the road from work, I may go and poo down their chimney.

By coincidence the claim firm is only 5 mins down the road from work, I may go and poo down their chimney.

unklehomered
I had a low speed (walking pace) parking bump 2 years ago...

The one I knocked claimed new bumper, bonnet, front wings...

This your car?

[img] [/img]

Mondeo estate, so yeah maybe a little bit.