Hit and Run (Do I have a play?) Lengthy...

Background--I work for an insurance company and part of my job entails visiting clients at their place of business or their homes to help them with claims or determine their eligibility for claims. My company deals with all types and backgrounds of people from the very rich to lower income markets as well. This may or may not be important, but this happened in a lower income neighborhood.

I had just spent a good part of 2 hours with a client at her house. I had determined that most likely we would pay her claim. She came outside with me while I was leaving (in the South this is common). I got into my car, I was in my personal car, not the company car as I was planning on making it an early day and head straight to the golf course.

About 30 yards up the road from her house is an intersection(not a major one, a residential intersection with the street crossing mine having stop signs). I had no stop sign, so I eased through the intersection. Immediately I heard screeching tires and was slammed into by a car that was probably moving about 50 MPH and had burned through the stop sign. The impact was on my front right panel, almost directly into that tire.

I gathered my senses for a moment, realized I wasnt hurt, and unclicked my seat belt and got out of the car. When I get out of the car, I look and see the driver of the car that hit me put it in reverse and start driving in reverse back down the road she came from (yes, it was a female). I realized what she was doing and started running after her. I soon realized I wasnt going to catch her, spotted a battery on the road (like a flashlight battery) and hucked it at the car. I missed of course, and the car reached the next intersection down, and turned down it and took off.

I walk back to my car and pull out my cell phone to call the police. I notice my client still standing outside watching and instead of her checking to see if I was hurt or coming over, she yells at her kid "Get in da house" and she goes inside.

The policeman comes and I tell him my story, he gets on his radio and relays it. I call my lawyer and then my insurance company.

20 minutes later Im waiting for a tow truck and here comes the lady that hits me in her car. She gets out and I see that shes like 16 years old. The police officer cites her for Failure to stop or yield or whatever it was, but doesnt cite her for the hit and run or for obviously traveling way too fast in a residential area. I get livid and the cop tells me to calm down. How can he decide that hes only going to cite her for that???

Conclusion--
A court date is arranged to decide fault for the case. I know its open and shut, and Im told by my lawyer that I dont have to go to court but I decide to go. The night before the court hearing, the mother of the 16 year old calls my home phone and leaves a message that she had asked the court date to be changed and it had been moved to a future date. I didnt call her back because I figured they would let me know if it had been changed. I never heard anything so I went to court the next day and sure enough they called our case. The judge asked her how she pleaded. She quickly said "Not guilty". She then proceeded to say I had hit her after she had stopped for "Like 3 minutes". My jaw hit the floor. The judge let me speak and I told him that it would be nearly impossible for me to hit her with my right front tire, and that her story was a fairy tale. The judge found in favor of me. Side Note--The police officer did not show for the hearing either, I thought they had to but he wasnt there, so if I didnt go there would have been noone to rectify this situation. I dont think the mother would have called a police officer and told him the date had been changed if it hadn't.

Does it seem weird that the police officer didnt show? Should I push the issue with her mom calling me telling me the date had been changed? I feel like going after them. Have I done all i can do? I feel like after all this, for them only to get hit with that one citation and their insurance having to pay, that there should be a stronger punishment. Ive saved the message from the mother. OOT, what would you do?


MDoranD

[thatpfunk]

I think you should definetly go after them.

[Edge34]

Slash her tires.

[daryn]

[ QUOTE ]
Slash her tires.

[/ QUOTE ]

you are stupid

[Edge34]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Slash her tires.

[/ QUOTE ]

you are stupid

[/ QUOTE ]

I was kidding, tool. You seriously need to lighten the [censored] up sometimes.

How about this, since you're so [censored] uppity...the guy's already gone through court, there doesn't seem to be much else he can do. Move on with life and hope she gets what's coming to her.

Jesus.

[JonPKibble]

Show the message to the judge. I think that will definitely add to your case.

[daryn]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Slash her tires.

[/ QUOTE ]

you are stupid

[/ QUOTE ]

I was kidding, tool. You seriously need to lighten the [censored] up sometimes.



[/ QUOTE ]

my statement goes unchanged

[Edge34]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Slash her tires.

[/ QUOTE ]

you are stupid

[/ QUOTE ]

I was kidding, tool. You seriously need to lighten the [censored] up sometimes.



[/ QUOTE ]

my statement goes unchanged

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I guess in that case, [censored], maybe I am stupid. After all, DARYN says so. And of course, you're something special around here. Bite me.

[swede123]

Obviously the teenager is a moron, but the most scary thing about this entire case is how incredibly poorly it was handled by the cop. I would probably file a report with the officer's supervisor about this. At least you weren't injured.

Swede

[daryn]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Slash her tires.

[/ QUOTE ]

you are stupid

[/ QUOTE ]

I was kidding, tool. You seriously need to lighten the [censored] up sometimes.



[/ QUOTE ]

my statement goes unchanged

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I guess in that case, [censored], maybe I am stupid. After all, DARYN says so. And of course, you're something special around here.

[/ QUOTE ]


hmm.. maybe i was wrong about you