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humble-crane-929

Other driver is flat-out lying to his insurance and I have proof he's wrong

So I'm still kind of in disbelief this is happening.

About three weeks ago I was merging onto the highway after my shift ended. I was in the middle lane, completely settled in, when the guy to my left just… drifted into me. No signal, no brake lights, nothing. His front quarter panel caught my driver's side and pushed me toward the right shoulder. I managed to keep it together and we both pulled off at the next exit.

Here's the thing — he was totally calm at the scene. Almost apologetic. We swapped info, I took a ton of photos, and we went our separate ways. I even have a short video clip from my phone that I grabbed while we were still pulled over showing exactly where the contact happened on both vehicles.

Fast forward to this week. His insurance calls me and the rep basically tells me their insured is claiming I merged into him and that I'm fully at fault. I almost laughed. The guy had fresh paint transfer from my car on his LEFT front fender. My car has damage on the DRIVER side. How exactly does that work if I hit him?

I filed a police report at the scene but I haven't seen the actual report yet — just the case number. I'm genuinely worried the responding officer may have written it up in a way that's vague or inaccurate, because he spent maybe four minutes total with us.

Has anyone dealt with a situation where the other driver just blatantly lied and their insurer seemed to believe them at first? Did the physical evidence eventually win out? I don't know whether to just keep pushing with his insurance, go through my own, or talk to an attorney at this point. Feeling really frustrated.

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9 replies

  • 6
    genuine-wren-049

    Oh man, I went through almost this exact thing last year. The other driver told his insurer a completely different story from what happened. What saved me was the photos I took at the scene showing paint transfer and the angle of the damage. Keep every single photo and video you have — don't delete anything, don't edit anything. The physical evidence really does matter more than he-said-she-said.

    • 6
      clever-swift-988

      Go get that police report as soon as possible — usually you can request it online or at the records window within a week or two of the incident. Read every line carefully. If there are factual errors — wrong damage locations, wrong direction of travel, anything like that — some jurisdictions allow you to submit a written supplement or request a correction. It's not always easy but it's worth knowing your options. Also, that video you mentioned? Save it in at least two places right now.

  • 12
    quiet-vole-294

    I used to work claims for a regional carrier and I want to be honest with you: when two drivers tell conflicting stories, adjusters are trained to look at the physical damage first. Paint transfer location, damage angles, and the height of contact points all tell a story that's really hard to argue with. The fact that his left front has your paint and your damage is on the driver's side is very consistent with your version. Request the photos from both vehicles be reviewed by a supervisor if the first adjuster seems to be brushing you off. You can also request a formal re-investigation.

  • 12
    gentle-crane-452

    Do NOT give his insurance a recorded statement. I cannot stress this enough. They will use anything you say to muddy the picture and reduce or deny your claim. You're not required to cooperate with the other driver's insurer — only your own. Talk to your own insurance and let them battle it out, or get an attorney before you say another word to those people.

  • 4
    swift-marmot-258

    Not legal advice, but situations like yours — where liability is genuinely disputed and the other driver is actively giving a false account — are exactly the kind of cases where a quick free consultation with a PI attorney is worth your time. Most won't charge you anything to look at the facts and tell you where you stand. The video and paint transfer evidence you're describing are potentially very significant. Don't let his insurer pressure you into a quick settlement or a liability split before you understand your rights.

  • 8
    swift-swan-061

    Please don't forget about yourself in all of this. Even low-speed sideswipes can cause soft tissue issues that don't show up until days later. If you're feeling any neck stiffness, shoulder tension, or headaches — even minor — get checked out and document it. I've seen people brush off symptoms and then really struggle weeks later when they're trying to connect it back to the accident.

  • 15
    steady-swan-192

    I hear you, but I want to ask — was there any dashcam footage? Yours or anyone else's? And did any witnesses stop or leave contact info? Because as compelling as the physical evidence sounds, if the adjuster is already leaning toward their insured, you're going to want something more than photos if this escalates. What does your own insurance say so far?

  • 4
    mellow-vole-708

    Stop talking to his insurance altogether. Call your own carrier today, file through them, and let them go after his insurer for reimbursement — that's literally what subrogation is for. You have video evidence and matching physical damage. This isn't hopeless, but you need to stop trying to convince people who have a financial interest in not believing you.

  • 7
    swift-wolf-526

    Honestly the fact that you have video is huge. A lot of people walk away from accidents with nothing and have to rely entirely on a police report. You're in a better position than you probably feel right now. Hang in there — keep documenting everything and this will sort itself out.