What to do if I backed into a parked car in a condo development?
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What to do if I backed into a parked car in a condo development?
No damage to my vehicle but my truck hitch put a nice hole in the bumper of the vehicle I hit. I knocked on a bunch of doors near where I was parked with no answer. Left a note on the vehicle with my name and phone number and what happened. I took pictures just to protect myself in case they tried to say I damaged the car more. The person called me back the following day and we agreed to not report to insurance as I will replace his damaged bumper for a decent price. Is there any legal recourse against me since we did not report to insurance? He has not called me back since then, it has now been 17 days. Am I still liable for the damage? Is there a contact time-frame?
Asked on March 13, 2013 under Accident Law, Florida
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
While I can understand how you would not want to report it to the insurance company for fear that your premium will go up, it may really bite you in the end. First, you have a legal obligation to report all accidents to the police. Even one car accidents. Next, if she does indeed try and make a claim against you - and since she is not calling you back I think you should worry about that - then the longer you wait about reporting it the worse it will be for you with your own insurance company. They can disclaim coverage. The time frame is the statute of limitations for property damage. That can be years. Good lcuk
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