Expert: Anne - 6/11/2008

Question
I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THIS PAST WEEKEND. THE FULLSIZE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME HAD HIS "LEFT" BLINKER ON BUT PRECEDED TO GO INTO THE "RIGHT" TURNING LANE. I JUST HIT MY BREAKS...NOT SURE WHICH WAY HE WAS GOING TO GO. WHEN I FELT SURE HE WAS GOING TO TURN ON IN I STARTED TO DRIVE ON BY. HE THEN I GUESS CHANGED HIS MIND AND WARPED BACK INTO MY LANE...WHICH PUSHED ME INTO THE LANE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HE FLED THE SCENE. HE MESSED UP MY VAN FROM THE BACK ALL THE WAY TO THE FRONT...NOT TO MENTION HE HIT MY 9 YEAR OLDS SIDE OF THE CAR. THANK GOD SHE WAS OK...BUT HE DIDN'T CARE. THANK GOD ALSO FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME WHICH FOLLOWED HIM WHICH LED TO THE POLICE CATCHING HIM. THEY ARRESTED HIM FOR HIT AND RUN AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE. HIS REASONING FOR FLEEING WAS HE WAS IN A COMPANY TRUCK AND PANICKED. I PLACED A CLAIM W/ HIS INSURANCE COMPANY...THEY SAID THEY DON'T PAY FOR RENTAL CARS THEY JUST PAY 30.00 A DAY AFTER THE CLAIM IS SETTLED TO ME. IS THAT CORRECT? IT WAS DIFFERENT FOR SOMEONE ELSE I KNOW. AND ALSO IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD DO? I JUST CAN'T SEEM TO GET OVER THE FACT THAT HE RAN WHEN I KNOW HE KNEW HE HIT A CHILDS SIDE OF THE CAR....WHERE ARE HIS HUMANLY MORALS??!!

Answer
Hi Carmen,

Someone states only allow 1 day of rental (i.e. Texas) some allow up to three (i.e. Washington). This is completely up to state law. I know this is highly unfair because most of the three days is not enough to get another car. If it was different for someone else, maybe the insurance company is giving you the run around. Double check with the office of the insurance commissioner.

Can you do anything else? Not really. Unless his acts were soo negligent that a prosecutor would like to take him to court, you are pretty much stuck with only a ticket and a bad record on his license (too little on my view).

Good Luck,
Anne

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