Hit while backing out at a crowded rec center lot — other driver now changing his story

Went through almost the exact same thing last year — other driver changed their story and my insurance initially said I was partially at fault. What saved me was the photos I took at the scene showing where the damage was on each car. Damage location is really hard to argue with. Definitely push hard for that footage though, even if you have to go in person and talk to a manager.

Your own insurance working against you is so common and so infuriating. Remember — your adjuster's job is to close the claim cheaply, not to be your advocate. Don't just accept a split-fault decision. Ask them IN WRITING what specific evidence they're basing that on. Make them show their work. If they can't point to something concrete, push back hard.

I used to work claims and honestly, parking lot accidents default to comparative fault a lot of the time just because they're messy and adjusters don't want to dig in. But here's the thing — damage location and point of impact are actually really telling in these situations. If his front corner hit your side panel, that geometry supports YOUR version of events, not his. Write that out clearly in any communication with your adjuster and make them address it specifically.

A few things worth doing right now if you haven't already: (1) Send a written records request to the rec center for any security footage — email or certified mail so you have a timestamp. Facilities sometimes overwrite footage on a rolling cycle, so time matters. (2) Check whether anyone who witnessed it stuck around — even a name or partial plate of a bystander vehicle could help. (3) Keep a log of every conversation with your insurance company, including dates and what was said. It all matters if this escalates.

Not legal advice, but this kind of dispute — conflicting accounts, physical evidence that may contradict one party's story — is exactly the situation where a free consultation with a PI attorney can be useful just to understand your options. Most won't charge anything to talk through whether it's worth pursuing. The damage photos you took at the scene are genuinely valuable.

Please make sure your kid gets checked out if you haven't already, even if they seemed totally fine right after. Kids don't always show or verbalize soft tissue stuff, and adrenaline masks a lot in the moment. A quick pediatrician visit and a note in their chart is also documentation if anything comes up later.

Stop relying on verbal updates from your adjuster. Every single thing — your account of the accident, your request for the footage, your disagreement with any fault finding — put it in writing via email. Paper trail is everything in disputed claims. Also get a repair estimate in hand so you have a number to work with if this drags out.

What does 'getting the runaround' on the footage mean exactly — are they saying there are no cameras there, or just that they need to look into it? That distinction matters a lot. Also, did anyone else see the actual impact happen, or is it genuinely just your word against his?

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this on top of everything else. It's bad enough to get hit — having the other person lie about it afterward is just a whole other level of stressful. Hang in there and keep documenting everything. You've got this.