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Yesterday while driving home from work a woman illegally changed lanes and hit me. The accident was minor. I was probably going 15-20 mph and she was probably going 10-15 mph. She illegally changed lanes over a solid white line. The first thing she said was "I had my turn signal on." (I'm not ure if that was a shock reaction/statement or she's trying to claim that I was somehow at fault for not avoiding her). Here are the laws about a solid white line in Florida:

Solid White Line

A solid white line marks the right edge of the roadway or separates lanes of traffic moving in the same direction. You may travel in the same direction on both sides of this line, but you should not cross the line unless you must do so to avoid a hazard.

We exchanged information and then I drove home. The car isn't driving quite right (Probably alignment, but not sure; not leaking fluids or anything). She has not responded to my insurance company yet. If she doesn't tell the same story, then they have to investigate the accident, in which case I have to front my deductible until they make a determination. I took the morning and likely whole day off of work to deal with it. Until she actually responds, though I'm waiting. I'm annoyed about the potential of an investigation considering that she illegally changed lines and hit me. I didn't move other than to slam on the breaks in a vain attempt to avoid the accident.

Also today my back and neck hurt so badly. I took a muscle relaxer. I mean, I'm not injured in any way. I'm sure it's from tensing up in the car.

That all sounds like a hassle. I'm sorry you got in the accident. Hopefully it can be cleared up quickly.

You should probably get checked out by a doctor anyway, hurtbs. Sometimes after an accident (no matter how minor) your body can put out lots of adrenaline and that can mask injury.

If you're in pain now, go get looked at. X rays, too.

I'm sorry that happened to you. And it doesn't matter if the other driver had their signal on, it was an illegal traffic manuever. She shouldn't have done that! TOTALLY HER FAULT.

I hope you aren't hurting too bad, and your car doesn't have severe damage....it is a huge hassle.

Please tell me you filled out an accident report.

Never no matter how minor an accident is, leave an accident scene without filling out a report.

There are just too many dishonest people out there.

If the accident is her fault, you have not proof without it, and now you are missing work for the car issue, you should be reimbursed for it.

You should also see a Dr for the neck and back pain. When our adrenaline is pumping we don't realize how hard we were hit, until the next day, or second day after.

If you have proof it's her fault then her insurance has to pay medical bills, and any related days off work from missing secondary to pain.

If the accident were your fault it prevents you from being sued or her making false claims of injury. There are plenty of folks out there willing to do this.

(((and feel better))))

Were the police called or did you just exchange info?

My insurance will not cover a 2 party accident with no police involvement.

Years ago, did the exchange info, it was all false from the other person. No police report. My car had a bent frame. Very expensive lesson.

At the very least, you should use the camera on your phone or even one of those disposable ones to take pictures of the vehicles and the location of the impact. I hope you here back soon...

Police will not come to the scene of an accident without injuries or unless cars need to be moved. Period. So there is no accident report.

Her information is legitimate. She and I texted phone number info back and forth and she is actually with my same insurance company. I took photos of he license plate which matched her registration and the insurance card.

Worst case scenario is that I'm out $250 deductible. I have accident forgiveness on this.

I'm not in a lot of pain, just minor discomfort. I won't be able to see a doctor until next week. If I'm still in pain, I will do it then.

ETA: Yes, I took pictures of the scene and both vehicles with my phone.

[This message edited by hurtbs at 10:06 AM, April 17th (Thursday)]

Call the police nonemergency number and tell them you want to make an accident report. Do it ASAP.

This happened to me when I moved in August. My first weekend here I got hit in a parking lot. A long scrape on the side of my car, just a ding to the woman's fender. We exchanged ins info, called our companies on the spot, took pics.

I was pulling forward into a parking spot; she didn't see me coming up and made a sharp turn into my space; she never saw me. I couldn't hit my horn because I was turning to avoid her.

To make a long story a headache, she filed a police report after the fact. A PO called to get my side of the story and basically ripped me a new one, saying her car couldn't have driven sideways- WTF? In any event, my company didn't fight it and I was found 80% at fault. FML.

@Sad - just got off phone with non-emergency police. They said that with minor accidents, no injuries, and both cars were drivable off the scene they do not get involved or take reports. It is a civil matter.

Just to give you guys an idea of the lack of police involvement, they have been passing statutes left and right that police no longer respond to:

Robberies after the fact

Muggings with no injuries if no suspects

Vehicle accidents with no injuries that are not on US Highways

With crimes (even violent ones) that have no suspects, they expect you to file a report online or in person. However, anything deemed "Civil" such as landlord disputes and car accidents, they won't even take a report. It's crazy.

Miami police are inundated with a lot of serious crime (like drugs, murders, gangs, etc) and have had their budget repeatedly sliced and cops laid off. It's insane!

[This message edited by hurtbs at 10:20 AM, April 17th (Thursday)]

I would be very careful about singing anything, since she is with the same company. Someone, without a US license, hit Do3K in a truck that was covered under the same ins. co as ours. It was clearly the other person's fault...witnesses and even the police report stated such. Our ins. co settled 50/50 We dropped said ins. and agent very soon after.

Oh man I don't like the no report without injuries thing. That's frwaking stupid. That's just asking for false claims. Cause lme tell ya. With my experiences from not filing a PO I WOULD claim injury just to get a PO.

NOPE NO WAY. I got screwed and so didy insurance company. False claim of injury for a parking lot accident. I told my co to fight it they did and won.

But what a hassle.

Other party admitted fault. Getting a rental and all that good stuff without having to front the money.