hearty-lynx-8115/12/2026

Food delivery van clipped my parked car and just drove off — what now?

Still pretty frustrated about this so bear with me.

I was at work yesterday and came back to find my rear bumper cracked and my quarter panel dented. Clearly got hit while I was parked on the street. A neighbor happened to mention they saw a van — one of those branded ones from a delivery service — pull away kind of fast right around the time it probably happened.

I have a dashcam that was running, but my car was pointing the wrong way, so the footage only catches the tail end of the van leaving. You can almost make out the last couple digits of the plate but not enough to be certain. The delivery company branding is visible though — like you can clearly see the logo on the side door.

I've already filed a police report and called my insurance. My agent was decent about it but basically said since I can't confirm the plate, it might fall under uninsured motorist or collision depending on my policy. I have a $1,000 deductible which honestly stings when this wasn't even my fault.

Has anyone dealt with something like this? Specifically:

Can the delivery company be held responsible even without a full plate ID if the branding is visible?
Is it worth contacting the delivery company's corporate line directly?
Should I be talking to a lawyer at this point or is that overkill?

I hate that someone can just drive off and potentially leave me holding the bag financially. Any experience or advice is really appreciated.

8 replies

Most helpful first

bright-stoat-7595/12/2026
Almost the exact same thing happened to me last spring — contractor truck sideswiped my car in a parking lot and kept going. I actually called the company whose logo was on the truck directly and they were surprisingly cooperative once they realized I had video showing their branding. Didn't even need the full plate. Worth a shot before you go the insurance route if you can avoid it.
wise-finch-5405/12/2026
Be careful how you phrase things when you talk to your own insurance. If you say anything that makes it sound like you're unsure whether another vehicle was involved, they might try to classify it as a single-vehicle incident and hit you with your collision deductible instead of pursuing the at-fault party. Keep your story tight: another vehicle hit you and left. Period.
- sharp-heron-0675/12/2026
  Former adjuster here — visible company branding on a vehicle is actually more useful than people think. Delivery companies keep detailed logs of their drivers' routes and times. If you know roughly when it happened and you have video showing that logo, a lawyer or even a persistent phone call to their fleet department could get you the driver's info. Companies don't love the liability exposure of a hit-and-run by one of their contractors.
- bold-mole-5315/12/2026
  Ugh, I'm so sorry. The fact that whoever was driving just left without even leaving a note is honestly infuriating. I hope you're able to track them down — you shouldn't have to pay a dime for this.
clever-marten-2855/12/2026
A couple of things worth knowing: first, preserve that dashcam footage somewhere safe right now — multiple backups. Second, if the van belongs to a third-party contractor rather than the delivery company itself, the liability chain gets a little complicated, but it's still traceable. A PI attorney can sometimes send a preservation letter to the company demanding they hold onto driver logs and GPS records before that stuff gets deleted on a routine basis. Not saying you need to sue anyone, but that data disappears fast.
plain-newt-3915/12/2026
Not legal advice, but visible branding combined with a timestamped video is a real starting point. Companies that use branded fleets are often vicariously liable for their drivers' actions during work hours. Whether it's an employee or a gig-contractor matters legally, but don't assume you have no case just because you lack a plate number. A free consult with a PI attorney costs you nothing and could tell you quickly whether it's worth pursuing. Most won't take it if there's nothing there, which is honest feedback in itself.
silent-kestrel-3925/12/2026
Call the delivery company's customer service line, explain what happened, give them the approximate time and location, and tell them you have video. Be calm and factual. Document who you spoke to and when. If they stonewall you, then escalate to a lawyer. Don't skip steps — sometimes companies just deal with it quietly to avoid the headache.
spry-vole-9925/12/2026
Quick question — are you certain it was a moving vehicle that caused the damage and not something else like a shopping cart or someone walking by? I only ask because if there's any ambiguity your insurance might push back. Also, did the neighbor actually see the impact or just the van leaving?