Hey guys, I need your help, this past Friday, I got a call from my housemate that my car looked to have been hit where I usually park it on the street, so I go out to meet him and we see a note that it was the Oakland parking enforcement that hit the car, they left the number of the city's attorney and their dispatch number as well.
I tried both numbers but got no answers, I figured they had probably closed since it was late in the afternoon on a Friday, so I called back this morning and the lady from their dispatch told me they were still in the process of filing a police report but it would be complete either by today or tomorrow, that I would take a copy of the report to my insurance.
But this is the problem, I currently don't insurance on this car, a long story, but I don't, what is the most realistic outcome because of this, will they refuse to fix my car or compensate me because of this? Why did they give me the city's attorney's number, do they expect this to be some sort of legal proceeding or something, or are they trying to argue that hitting a parked car was not their fault?, I am not from the US so I am not really not familiar with the claims process and all of that, I need some guidance in regards to this please, thanks
Parking Enforcement nearly totaled my car while it was parked on the street/No Insurance
byu/fantanolmao inInsurance
Posted by fantanolmao
5 Comments
10 times out of 10, when dealing with the city, it’s easier to go through your insurance. It will be faster and less of a headache on you.
The only thing you can do is say, I don’t have insurance and let them go through the process of whatever it is how ever long it takes.
It will probably be awhile.
Dealing with city governments is like trying to pull teeth. Good luck!
That you were uninsured should have no bearing on your claim against the city.
Google “tort claims with the name of your city.”
There are likely steps that you have to take within a limited amount of time to protect your claim. If you fail to do so you don’t get paid.
Don’t rely on the city people to do it for you.
If you drive this car you should have insurance on it. Because you don’t you are going to halfto take whatever they give you even if it’s a shit offer, you have pretty much zero negotiating power unless you get a lawyer and sue.
You need to call the city attorneys office in the morning. I had a claim a few years ago (was previously an auto adjuster) with get city of Oakland and they will get the claim assigned to risk management.
When dealing with city claims, everything has to be done within 6 months of the date of loss (day the accident occurred) or your forever barred. Call them. Keep calling them. Get the claim started. Ask they send an adjuster out to inspect or hire an independent adjuster to assess your damages. If they don’t, you have the burden of proof to do so. That means you need to get an estimate written for damages on your car and submit them to the city office.
If it’s totaled- they may be able to write up a TL evaluation but don’t count on it.
Good luck