Your Opinion

[future5.0]

Hello All,

I have a question but without being here to have witnessed it I dont think you can give a perfessional answer (at least I dont think so), so I will ask for your opinion. Well let me explain the situation. I work as Loss Prevention for a warehouse in my area and I have a co-worker who has a reputation for being a trouble maker and backstabber. Well I work third sahift and Monday mourning of last week the guy who was supposed to releave me did not show up so I told my supervisor that I would cover his shift until second shift came in. When second shift came in it was none other than " the star employee" and she parked behind my car (sort of parallel parking) and came inside I passed down any information she needed and got into my car, I then backed into her car ( like an idiot) and left a scuff (or scratch) on her bumper. I felt like such and idiot and being that she was treating it like I totaly wrecked her car I gave her my insurance info. The next day after she had calmed down I asked her if it would bve alright if I just took care of it with cash and she said that would be fine. I expected her to go to a body shop and brine me an estimate no more than a hundred or so seeing that there was NO body damage just a scratch. Well she brings me an estimate for $300 and I was a little dumb-founded but agreed to pay it, we also made a agreement that if I did not pay it that she would take it to my insurance company (which was fine with me). When I got home I started looking over this estimate and started noticing things that where kind of strange to me for one the guy who did the estimate business' license had expired like 3 months ago and two she took it to a shop about an hour and a half away from where she lived.

Now the question I am asking is do you think that she is trying to get over on me or is it just my personal grudge with her clouding my mind?

BTW I posted here in ask-a-cop because I did not want people who do not have any experiance with anything close to this giving me advice that could make things worse for me.

Thanks

[TPDHellhound]

This may be one of those situations where you're bent over a barrel, so to speak. It sounds like your only choice is to solicit cooperation. You may consider getting additional estimates from other, more reputable, companies.

But honestly, in todays market, $300 isn't too bad.

[future5.0]

That would be hard if she was not willing to cooperate.

[TPDHellhound]

That would be hard if she was not willing to cooperate.

True, but what choices do you have? Other than simply saying, "sue me" and walk away. :D

[future5.0]

I would love to, but she would probably sue me for $100,000 for pain and suffering. :D But i might have to consider it thanks TPD

[K-9MALY]

Start the whole conversation over again with her, and tell her you want to go with her to get an estimate this time. If she doesn't agree, get your insurance involved with it, its what you have it for. Her character doesn't matter in this incident, nor her lack of work efforts, so think of it in that context.

[MetPC]

If your insurance works the same as ours you'd probably lose more than $300 by claiming off it anyway when you pay your excess and your premiums go up next year.

[TenFifty]

Ask her if you can take it to your mechanic or body shop to get it checked out. As far as getting your insurance involved, realize that your premium may go up. Good luck!

[Super Six 5]

Future 5.0, I notice your member title says that you're in the Army. Would you happen to have USAA for insurance?

[DeltaV]

Yeah, what everyone else said. If she gets your insurance involved, your premiums are probably going to go up more than $300 a year for the next three or so years, until the crash goes off of your record.

A halfway decent body shop should be able to buff a small scratch out for under $100, unless the scratch actually is down to the metal.

[future5.0]

Super six I do not have USAA insurance I'm not Active Army so I'm not sure if I qualify
for it.

I understand what eveyone is saying about premiums going up I just can't see $300 for such a minor incedent I guess i'll just have to bite the bullet on this one and pay her the money.

[Super Six 5]

USAA requires you to have served in any branch of the military.

The reason I asked, is my sister had a little run in with a local scumbag and he tried to take us for some money. Her mirror had hit his car while passing him in the opposite direction. Police responded, did a report, said my sister was at fault for driving too close to the yellow line.

No big deal, my parents said they'd give him the money to get the minor damage fixed since it was her fault. He comes back with this estimate of close to 3000 dollars. I had my parents immediately contact USAA who told my mother to cease dealing with this individual, and tell him to deal with the insurance company. Upon receiving his claim, USAA was going to open a fraud case against him. As far as I know, her premiums did not increase.