[cottonbud10]

well guess what,got home today after a fab day out with my wife,only to find a letter from the girls boyfriend stating they wish me to pay compensation to the tune of `£500  for damages to the bike and a mobile phone that she had on her at the time,now this letter was,nt written by some twit (like me) is was all very pro with details times and pictures,it seems the boyfriend works for an insurance company,he has even gone to the trouble of getting my address from a scorce at work (i guess)  from the number plate of my van,,,,so i,m i deep trouble hence can,t sleep...is there anyone out there who used to be a lawyer before they moved over to windowcleaning,,ha,,,,,ha,, i realy don,t think i did anything wrong and the girls fall was nothing to do with my hose,she even said that to me at the time.Its mad,i moved over to doing this job (a) to be my own boss and (b) to get away from to much stress ,,,,,,,,,ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....kev

[Window Washers]

well guess what,got home today after a fab day out with my wife,only to find a letter from the girls boyfriend stating they wish me to pay compensation to the tune of `£500  for damages to the bike and a mobile phone that she had on her at the time,now this letter was,nt written by some twit (like me) is was all very pro with details times and pictures,it seems the boyfriend works for an insurance company,he has even gone to the trouble of getting my address from a scorce at work (i guess)  from the number plate of my van,,,,so i,m i deep trouble hence can,t sleep...is there anyone out there who used to be a lawyer before they moved over to windowcleaning,,ha,,,,,ha,, i realy don,t think i did anything wrong and the girls fall was nothing to do with my hose,she even said that to me at the time.Its mad,i moved over to doing this job (a) to be my own boss and (b) to get away from to much stress ,,,,,,,,,ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....kev

I would speak to your insrance company before you do anything else and see what they say, they are trying it on, and annoys me that things like this happen day in day out, but thats life.

Your insured so dont worry. See what they say first fella, they may just say shes trying it on( which she is)

[ftp]

Put it all in the hands of your insurance company - that's what you pay them for. Give the guy their details explain what happened, let them sort it out between them and have a good nights sleep. It's not really your problem then.

[simon knight]

Put it all in the hands of your insurance company - that's what you pay them for. Give the guy their details explain what happened, let them sort it out between them and have a good nights sleep. It's not really your problem then.

Spot-on! This is why you pay insurance.

[cottonbud10]

thanks guys,i know i should put it in the hands of the insurance company,but the painfull thing is that i have to pay £250 excess and to me that feels to me i,m giving him the money, so he,s won

[simon knight]

He'll have to prove that the damage to the bike and mobile is £500s worth and possibly explain to the police why his girlfriend was riding on the pavement in the first place. Where I live it's a £1000 fine

[pingu]

Yep...straight to your insurance company...have no dialogue with the people at all...

Say nothing and leave it all the the insurance companies..

Cheers
Dave.

[ftp]

Just a thought - if you had no insurance would the guy still chase it up?

[AuRavelling79]

Speak to your insurer's before you respond. Do not handle this yourself.


Questions I'd ask them:

Is it good news  they've started at £500 quid. (This is known as shut up and go away money and if boyfriend works in insurance he know there is a chance the insurer will settle to save themselves hassle and money)

Is it true that if they were after serious money would they have not gone to a doctor with her injuries - the longer she leaves this then the less credence is given to her claims.

Also have they by setting out the details admitted she was riding on the pavement? Does this show contributory negligence. Should you report it to the police and that you are now being hassled over it.

Does it make a difference that you had a trip hazard cone out?

Should you report the incident to the police (fast pavement riding)? And that you are being hassled over it?

Should you take your own pictures of the site and write a full report showing how she was riding at speed and was on her mobile phone at the time? If true....

Has she or he got a history of "ambulance chasing"?

Should he use his position as an insurance employee to find details in a case that he or his girlfriend has a personal interest in?

---

I would also speak to a solicitor - cuz I'm the sort who'd enjoy putting these puppies in their place! Or at worst find out what the position is for the future.

 
Don't lose sleep over it - you're insured and it's £500 - or whatever your excess is.

Oh and what was the age and make of her bike/mobile and it's damage? I can give you an idea of the value and the cost of repairs.

[big J]

hi chill bro

thats what your insurance is for.! worst case they will settle. just pass the letter and any follow ups to them .
do not reply otr acknoledge it or any future letters in any way. If they try to contact you face to face a simple it is in the hands of my insurers will suffice. and say noting else.

If you are uninsured then still say nothing and seek advice from the CAB

big j

[seandyer2003]

Should you report the incident to the police (fast pavement riding)? And that you are being hassled over it?

- definitely ring the police mate and explain the incident and im sure they will see the reality behind it all and may even back you up if it comes to it-  try and make a friend of the copper you speak too

Hopefully they will throw her claim out then

Take some pics of where the incident happened with your hose clearly signed and smoothly set out on foot path etc

Unbelievable stuff all this - but it was waiting to happen one day with the society we live in - if id of tripped over your hose when i was a kid my parents would of told me i was daft and apologized to you - now the situation is getting out of control

Common sense isnt accounted for anymore instead if you get stung by a nettle you c an sue the town planners for them being there!!

Years ago you would of looked for a dott leaf (that what theyre called?)

Anyway dont worry mate you will be ok, at worst they will get an insurance claim - but i think they will struggle really

[ryan mca]

 Do you have a risk assessment and a method statement
 have you taken all the precautions to prevent foreseable injury
If you hear from them directly again you could threaten to report
the guy for breaking the data protection act cost him his job
I would think about a ramp to stop this happening again as there s
lots of ambulance chasers out there
 

[simon knight]

Do you have a risk assessment and a method statement
 have you taken all the precautions to prevent foreseable injury
If you hear from them directly again you could threaten to report
the guy for breaking the data protection act cost him his job
I would think about a ramp to stop this happening again as there s
lots of ambulance chasers out there
 

Actually the bit about the data protection act is a really good point!

[SherwoodCleaningSe]

Let the insurance deal with it, it is obviously an attempt to get go away money.  If someone was injured then the claim should be a lot higher.  They are probably hoping that you will pay up direct as it is double what your excess is and you obviously don't want it to affect your no claims bonus.

Another side point, the said boyfriend being in say early 20's, works for a firm of some kind that can tract down addresses from number plates, if that is what he did then his place of work might be interested to know about the private use of company resources.  If you have a web address ot phone number on the side of your van though, he might have traced it from that, easily done.

Hope you come out of it well.

Simon.

[JSMC]

get the fecker on the data protection act and watch him squirm. make him lose his job for being a total idiot is what i would do.

[LWC]

get the fecker on the data protection act and watch him squirm. make him lose his job for being a total idiot is what i would do.

Thats a good point, he could get into trouble for that, i knew of someone who used to work in bank and he got girls phone numbers off the accounts and was texting them...he shortly got sacked.

[simon knight]

Cottonbud: I reckon you could have some fun with this

[peter holley]

i would sit tight , just wait and see what happens next......they ate only asking for £500.... its gonna cost them time, money, and stress to persue this.... and they also have to prove it.....like i said though , dont worry too much , just wait and see what their next move is

[elite mike]

hi cottonbud

after reading your post, and some of the replies

i honestly dont think she has a leg to stand on

i would not pay and i would instruct my insurance co not to as well

good luck

mike

[cottonbud10]

thanks for all the advice,,it is a sad fact that there are people out there like that,,only a month ago a customers dog bit me  on the hand and gushed blood all over the place,i did,nt  take it any further she was very sorry,the dog is  a deaf great dane...a lovely thing,,and i was  in her garden ,i,m just not that sort,,it was after all  accident and these things happen...maybe i should be more of an ass,but thats just not in me....kev