Lady dented my door and left

[MikeGstayUp]

First I would confront her. Since it was in a parking lot aka private property they can not and will not do anything!
I know this because I walked out of the movies and a car had rolled into a Newly purchased Lexus. The owners came out of the movies got into their car and left the Lexus without a note. I had the whole thing on video and told the police and they said nothing they could do! Crazy maybe that's just how it is in AZ.

[v6]

Dude i woulda chased that bitch down and got her plate number

[Nightfall]

Originally Posted by v6

Dude i woulda chased that bitch down and got her plate number

[Smitty77]

Originally Posted by aron77

if you sue add like 1000 for punative damages for her bad behavior. The door ding itself was an accident but her fleeing knowing she had done damage is an intentional tort and could be worth punative damages.

This seems silly. No way you can prove she did anything intentionally or even knew it happened at all. He said it was the daughter who caused the damage and the lady was preoccupied. Why come off pompous in small claims court? Just sue for the repair cost - that's all you really have as damages anyway.

[DuhKoDuh]

Originally Posted by ABM10LT

Out of courtesy, I'd confront her first and ask if she intends to make it right. If not, my next call would be the police and then my insurance company.

[BlueDragonVT]

That's technically still leaving the scene. Get her plates, call her in. She deserves the legal trouble.

[baloo28]

Ask her if she noticed her kid did the deed. Then file an insurance claim. Most likely well under hers or your deductible. Door dings happen. Welcome to the world of parking in a parking lot.

[DroptopZ]

Originally Posted by baloo28

Ask her if she noticed her kid did the deed. Then file an insurance claim. Most likely well under hers or your deductible. Door dings happen. Welcome to the world of parking in a parking lot.

Yes, but deductibles don't apply for Property Damage-Liability coverage. That's only under fixing your own vehicle...

[aron77]

Originally Posted by Smitty77

This seems silly. No way you can prove she did anything intentionally or even knew it happened at all. He said it was the daughter who caused the damage and the lady was preoccupied. Why come off pompous in small claims court? Just sue for the repair cost - that's all you really have as damages anyway.

This is not silly he said she fled before he could do anything, that very well could have been an intentional act and potentially worthy of punative damages. Punative damages are meant to punish ppl for wrong doing and if she did knowingly leave after causing damages then that is a wrong doing. And it is not pompous at all to seek to punish someone for doing something wrong. The op would know better than I based on what he witnessed whether she knew or not but if it appeared that she did know and fled then that is a tort that goes beyond just an accident.

[Tarl]

This is something that insurance companies deal with. It is NOT a police matter and the police will not do a report on it. Speak to the lady about it and if she doesn't make it right sue her in civil court.

[Caspers2SSRS]

It is certainly when-in the rights of Califorinia residents to obtain a written police report for door ding matters like these that occur on private property as well public areas. Intentional or not. If your local police department brushes it off, seek immediate assistance from the closet CHP location. There may very well be civil as well criminal issues at stake, to your advantage. Your insurance company will need the report to expedite, your claim, and certainly any against her or her insurer. You'll also need the report to substanciate any other civil proceedings against her....................

I would caution approaching her personally, as she may file harrasment or stalking charges against you if she feels so inclined to equal the at risk playing field.

If you hit a parked car or another type of property and the owner of that property isn't on-scene, the duty still exists to inform, and immediately so. When this situation occurs, California Vehicle Code 20002 VC requires that you take the following steps:

1. Leave a conspicuously placed note that states:

   (a) Your personal "identifying information".
   
   (b) a summary of what happened.
   

2. Then immediately contact your local police department or CHP.

This second step applies to both private and public or government owned property. If, for example, you damage a public street sign, you are required immediately to notify your local police or CHP office.

Even though leaving a note is "technically" required, failing to do so upon damaging public property would be excused, as long as you immediately reported the incident and identified yourself to local law enforcement.


California misdemeanor hit and run law isn't concerned with what type of property you damage, how much damage you cause, or whether you believe your not liable.


It could be a automobile, any other type of personal property, or even a pet. The possibilities are endless, vehicle operators duties are the same.

Follow this link if you will for reading on this very same subject........ http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164371

[aron77]

Originally Posted by Tarl

This is something that insurance companies deal with. It is NOT a police matter and the police will not do a report on it. Speak to the lady about it and if she doesn't make it right sue her in civil court.

And what do insurance companies often require before they will pay a claim? A police report! Whether there is a criminal offense or not the police can and will take a report. If nothing else filing a police report is documenting when the incident happened i.e. that the damage did not occur on a later date and that is why it is important even if is going to be a civil matter. Otherwise one of the first arguements that you would hear from a defendant is "I don't know when or where or how his car got damage", enter police report that shows that the plantiff made the assertion on date x claiming that it happened at location y and by person z.

I'm not a lawyer but I play one on tv and I did stay at a holiday inn last night.