just been hit by a drunk driver - advise please!!

First of all, I am OK -no major injures just neck/back pain and still in shock!!!. According to the ER doctor I will be fine in a couple of weeks (after suffering from excrusiating pain he said!).

This morning I was hit by a drunk driver- that I know from the policeman at the hospital when he told me the guy had been arrested. I was rushed to the hospital and didn't know much what happened. I've been told to wait for the police to contact me - is it how it is done here?? how about the insurance?

My car was removed from the accident site by the police - don't really know where they took it. and I am clueless how to handle this accident stuff in UK!!

thanks in advance for any advise you can give!!

Did you get his insurance details from the police?  You need to give these to your insurers and let them sort it out.

Glad you are okay.

Vicky

First of all...So sorry to hear you had this happen to you today.  I am glad you are ok.

You need to get his details or his registration on his number plate and inform your insurance company straight away.  The police will have a record of this.

Inform your insurance company that you have been notified by the police that he was drunk and tell them you wish to persue it further and that you have some form of injuries.

If it was me, I would really play on your injuries.  You could get a hefty settlement from him.  Don't feel guilty about it, he could have killed you by being so reckless.  What a scumbag.  Hope he gets whats coming to him.

Your insurance company will probably ask for doctors notes or refer you to see one of their own doctors.  Keep reciepts of all public transport you are now having to pay for or taxi reciepts.  Calculate the amount your job pays you per day and for each day you have off ( even of your company pay sickness ) record it and charge him for that also.

Hope you sort it out soon.

If it was me, I would really play on your injuries.  You could get a hefty settlement from him.

Um, regardless of the scumbag nature of the drunk driver that could be fraud.

However, if your injuries turn out to be worse than you first thought (as sometimes happens with whiplash type injuries)  then of course pursue this.

 

If it was me, I would really play on your injuries.  You could get a hefty settlement from him.  Don't feel guilty about it, he could have killed you by being so reckless.

This is exceptionally bad advice.  Get treatment and compensation for whatever injuries you have and whatever monetary damages you suffer.  Don't look at this as an opportunity to cash in, because as Britwife said, you open yourself up to fraud charges.

Please no one construe this next paragraph as being defensive...not my intension at all...

Not saying it was great advice, and yes the other ladies are right...it could be considered fraudulent....so I take it back.

But me, myself personally would just attack the sod financially for everything he had.  I don't take too kindly to people who treat my life with such disregard...or come to think of it..his own!  I don't see it as a nice holiday payment..I would see it as his comeuppance along with him loosing his licence.

I can assure you that he will fight every step of the way and be slippery sly in trying to get himself off the hook via his solicitor...just be prepared at all angles.  The best bit of advice I can give ( and 100% honest ) is to keep the receipts of transport and total your loss of earnings and claim them back. Finally to look after yourself.  Car accidents can trigger all sorts of emotions off so make sure you look after yourself mentally as well as physically.

My ex's dad reported a drunk driver to the police once..they arrested him and he got let off with a fine..only a month later he was pissed driving again and knocked over a child.

So I would have no guilt towards them.

But me, myself personally would just attack the sod financially for everything he had.  I don't take too kindly to people who treat my life with such disregard...or come to think of it..his own!  I don't see it as a nice holiday payment..I would see it as his comeuppance along with him loosing his licence.

I can assure you that he will fight every step of the way and be slippery sly in trying to get himself off the hook via his solicitor...just be prepared at all angles.  The best bit of advice I can give ( and 100% honest ) is to keep the receipts of transport and total your loss of earnings and claim them back. Finally to look after yourself.  Car accidents can trigger all sorts of emotions off so make sure you look after yourself mentally as well as physically.

First of all, it probably wouldn't get the driver, it would just get his insurance company.

Secondly, she said she is fine.  Obviously if this changes then it should be said, but otherwise be thankful and let the law deal with him.

Thirdly.  And probably contoversially.  Drink driving is a bad, bad, bad thing to do, and the people who do it deserve what they get.  But.  Not everyone who does a bad thing is inherently evil. 

You cannot say that this guy will be slippery and sly, you don't know.  Just leave it to the law, forget it happened, move on.

Vicky

Do watch your neck/shoulders. I've had whiplash several times (lousy DC drivers!) and had to have physio for it. First you have the initial bad pain, then that goes, and you're left with tension and achiness for ages. Don't let a GP fob you off. In the US, you'd get the cost of the physio paid back thru your claim but it would depend here. If you do it via the NHS, I assume you wouldn't, but if you pay privately, you should.

And also, if you lose time at work that should be reimbursed.

Totally understand where you are coming from LuckyCuz, I just wouldn't want the OP, or anyone else, to get into any trouble themselves.  It's seriously not worth it. 

You can't get up on a high horse and call people scumbags and then decide to cash in. Fraud is a crime just like drunk driving is.

Totally understand where you are coming from LuckyCuz, I just wouldn't want the OP, or anyone else, to get into any trouble themselves.  It's seriously not worth it. 

Fairplay.  I don't want to sound like I am a ambulance chaser, thats not what I meant at all.   

Awww matsfets, hugs!!!  Glad you are ok!!  Very scary!  I don't have a lot of advice, but this is what insurance is for, so hopefully you can work with your insurance companies, as well as the police and anything else that is required.  And take it easy, the whiplash is probably going to be brutal and you will probably be very sore for a long while!! Hugs!

I have no advice but I sympathize. Just keep an eye out on your neck and back. Whiplash can be okie at first and then come into play weeks, months or even years later.

Good luck with everything!

Thanks everyone for your good thoughts and advise! here is an advise (and more questions I guess?)

Health - is OK - as the hours have passed by some aches had appeared mainly in my upper body, and bruises too!! (I attribute them mostly to the life saver safety belt!). neck/back still stiff and sore.. but nothing major

Police report- I got a call from them- got the guys' name and also informed me that he was charged with dangerous driving and DUI.
 question- is the police going to follow up with me on the case? am I going to have to go to court or something?


Insurance - Thanks God this guy was insured!! However my insurance company told me that I still have to pay 300 pounds for the car which would be credited back to me once his insurance claims responsibility!
question: what is going to happen with my no-claim bonus??? did I loose it???

Also, because of the impact my car was pushed backwards and hit a brick gate, the brick gate fell and hit a car that was parked there (it was somebody's house!), so the insurance said that whey would have to escalate my claim and that I can't remember the name of the departmet would conduct the investigation. And that for the time being I was held responsible for it (my car hitting the wall!) but only after the investigation was conducted!!  I am really panicking about this one!!!  Any insurance know-it-all out there with advise???

The other thing is that I need reassurance - is it really that off-hands here? just sit and wait until the police calls, then place the claim over the phone and sit and wait for the insurance company to deal with it? am I missing something?? How about the guy? what is going to happen with him??


now.. if the car is totalled -don't know if it is going to be, but according to witnesses it was in terrible, terrible shape! - and still under warranty, do I need to include the dealer in the investigation??? so confuseeed!

Well.. it is time for another round of drugs... (prescribed!  )

thanks everyone for your support/advise!

I'm really sorry I have no answers.  I'm glad you are okay, and I do hope you don't have to pay for any damages his reckless behaviour caused.  I'd definitely make sure that your insurance company has his name and insurance details so they can go after his insurance for whatever amount of damage they can have.  Maybe you can only give your insurance the case number and the police department who were called out and they can figure out the rest?  I'm really not sure either. 

Take care and heal up though!