Auto Insurance Claims: No damage accident, insurance card, mothers name

Question
Hello,

I was back from tour in Iraq for my 2 week break, me and my sister were driving my mothers car and she complained of being to tired to drive.  Although I have a license, I am not insured underneath my mothers name, or at all because I have been in Iraq.  I was behind a man at a stop light, when he started moving forward, I followed when he slammed on the brakes.  I hit mine, but the roads where Icy and I slid into his bumper, a very small hit.  I got out to check the damage and there was none at all.  His car a really garbage Olesmobile and mine a truck.  He initially was very angry but calmed down when he saw no damage.  He asked for my insurance information and I gave him the card, in which he brought it into the car. I filled out what little information he gave me, then he asked for my name and phone number so I gave it to him, trying to be nice.  I thought that would be the end of it.  Four days later I got a call from his wife(the name on the insurance card) saying that I did not give her husband my insurance information.  I told that he indeed took my insurance card and brought it into his car to copy.  She then told me her husband, a man of 45+ could not read or write.  After I realized that he had not gotten my information, I asked her if she has actually looked at the car to see there is no damage at all, she said yes I see there is no "external" damage... having a pre-conceived notion that this particular couple was poor, I knew exactly where this was going.  I told her I would have to speak to my lawyer before giving her any information.  To make a long story short, my mother called her in which she was very rude, and insisted the car, "just doesn't drive the same."  And insists her husband gave me all his information, including his DL, which he did not, and then made the comment to my mother that, "its not like he was drinking or on probation anymore" giving us a pretty good idea of the drivers past.  Also when I asked the driver if he wanted to meet somewhere else to try to examine any damage and get all the information he declined and was the first one to leave the seen, making him seem very suspicious to me.  I know I am at fault, but now she is trying to get us to give her our insurance information and I don't believe we should have to.... You're thoughts on this sir?

Thank You,
John

Answer
Hello John,

Yes, I see where this is going to. In the INS industry we had a saying: (NLTB)--never like that before.

This is not to be construed as legal advice and you may want to contact an attorney, but there are a couple ways I would handle it. First, if they don't have the INS info, not your problem. I would not give it to them again. The next time the wife contacts you, refer her to your attorney. It sounds like it is just his word against yours and since she let the cat out of the bag as to what an oustanding citizen he is and how it would look going up against a Iraq vet, might be interesting. I don't think I would sweat this if you have an attorney. No personal injury-- no police or FD on scene. No visible damage to vehicles. Even if they had an ambulance chaser as an attorney, I don't see any monetary value to make them whole from your description.sounds like they think you are a potential cash cow for these poor people that think they hit the lottery at your expense.

As I stated, your conversation with them should be done. You were trying to do the right thing by admitting you were responsible. You gave the information to him once. It's not your problem if he didn't understand.

Good luck and feel free to write me at robo14@aol.com with more details.

Rob