genuine-bison-8595/18/2026

Hit-and-run in my work parking garage — no cameras, no witnesses. Now what?

Came out after a long shift last Tuesday to find my passenger side caved in. Someone absolutely nailed my car and just drove off. No note, nothing.

I work in a big office complex and the parking garage is technically managed by a third-party company. I talked to the building manager and he basically shrugged and said the cameras on that level have been "out for maintenance" for a few weeks. Conveniently. I asked if there were any cameras at the garage entrances that might have caught plates going in and out — he said he'd "look into it" but I haven't heard back in five days.

I filed a police report the same night, so I have that at least.

Here's my real dilemma: the car is a classic I've been slowly restoring — it's not worth a ton on paper but it means a lot to me and I've sunk real money into it. I'm scared that if I go through my own insurance, they'll take one look at the book value and just total it rather than fix it.

My deductible is pretty steep too, so I'd basically be paying out of pocket to fix someone else's mess.

Has anyone dealt with something like this? Do I have any options beyond just eating the deductible and hoping for the best? Should I push harder on the garage management company? Any advice appreciated — feeling pretty defeated right now.

9 replies

Most helpful first

swift-wolf-1735/18/2026
This happened to me almost exactly — parked at work, came out to a smashed door, no note. One thing I'd push on: ask the garage management company in writing for any footage from entrance/exit points. I did this and suddenly they "found" a working camera they forgot to mention. Don't let them stall you verbally, put it in an email so there's a paper trail.
- curious-bison-9825/18/2026
  Be really careful here. The moment you file with your own insurer, you're kind of at their mercy on valuation. If your car has custom restoration work, standard book value calculations will absolutely lowball you. Adjusters aren't looking at what you put into it — they're looking at what a computer spits out for comparable vehicles. Document every single dollar of work you've done on that restoration before you talk to anyone.
- candid-swan-4475/18/2026
  The garage management angle is worth pursuing seriously. If it's a paid parking facility and they had a duty to maintain security cameras and failed to do so, there could be a negligence argument there. It's not a slam dunk but it's not nothing either. Definitely document your attempts to get camera footage — dates, who you spoke to, what they said. If they dragged their feet and footage gets lost, that matters.
kind-seal-3155/18/2026
Former adjuster here. A few things:

1. Your collision coverage (if you have it) would apply here, minus your deductible. Uninsured motorist property damage coverage might also kick in depending on your state — worth checking your policy. 2. On the total-loss fear: if the repair estimate exceeds a certain percentage of the car's value (varies by state, usually 70-80%), they will total it. For a restored classic, you'd want to push for an "agreed value" or "stated value" policy — but that's a future fix, not helpful right now. 3. Keep pushing on the garage company. They have liability exposure if they're negligent about camera maintenance in a paid parking facility.
- bold-grouse-1125/18/2026
  No injuries mentioned so that's good — hope you're doing okay emotionally though. Dealing with property damage you didn't cause is genuinely stressful and it's okay to be frustrated about it. Don't let people minimize that for you.
clear-stoat-0585/18/2026
Not legal advice, but two things stand out to me: (1) the garage operator potentially having liability if their negligent camera maintenance contributed to the hit-and-run going unsolved, and (2) whether your state has uninsured motorist property damage coverage that could help offset your deductible. Both are worth a free consultation with a PI attorney — most won't charge to talk through a situation like this.
hearty-hare-6865/18/2026
Stop waiting on the building manager to "look into it." Send a formal written request to the garage management company directly asking for all available footage and incident reports within a specific timeframe. CC the property owner if you can find them. Polite verbal follow-ups go nowhere — written requests create accountability.
silent-finch-6225/18/2026
Quick question — did you pay for parking there, or is it free employee parking? That could matter a lot for whether the garage operator has any real liability. A paid facility has a different duty of care than a free lot your employer just lets people use.
plain-heron-8055/18/2026
You did the right things early — police report filed, building management contacted quickly. That paper trail matters more than it feels like it does right now. A lot of people panic and don't document anything. You're actually in a better position than you think to pursue this.