What would you do, involves police?

[Joliet Johnny]

Last night my wife was at a red light in her 03 Mitsubishi Lancer when a guy driving an 06 Jeep Commander (which she thought look just like my XJ)thought the light was green and rearended her and she was fine and didnt wake up sore or anything :). When the cop arrived he didnt want to file a report saying there was no damage to her car (taillight popped out, cracks in paint of bumper and quarter panel damage) She actually had to fight with the cop to get him to do his job. I cant figure out why the cops in my town are so quick to pull over someone going a bit fast on a clear road or someone who had a bulb out that lights up a reflective license plate but doesnt feel like filling out an accident report on cars that are obviously damaged. If my wife wasnt as smart as she is this could have turn out bad!

My question is should I go down to the police station and file a complaint against the cop? I realize it will most likely come to nothing, maybe a memo at best?

[OrangeXJ]

With pictures in hand I would go talk to his supervisor

[Mudderoy]

Last night my wife was at a red light in her 03 Mitsubishi Lancer when a guy driving an 06 Jeep Commander (which she thought look just like my XJ)thought the light was green and rearended her and she was fine and didnt wake up sore or anything :). When the cop arrived he didnt want to file a report saying there was no damage to her car (taillight popped out, cracks in paint of bumper and quarter panel damage) She actually had to fight with the cop to get him to do his job. I cant figure out why the cops in my town are so quick to pull over someone going a bit fast on a clear road or someone who had a bulb out that lights up a reflective license plate but doesnt feel like filling out an accident report on cars that are obviously damaged. If my wife wasnt as smart as she is this could have turn out bad!

My question is should I go down to the police station and file a complaint against the cop? I realize it will most likely come to nothing, maybe a memo at best?

My only concern would be that my damages, etc... were going to be fully covered by the person that struck me, or their insurance. If his/her insurance company says there is no report so there is no claim then I would approach the police department that way. It might even be good to get an estimate before you go to the police department and have it in hand when you go.

The police officer isn't a paint and body man nor is he an insurance adjuster. It's not his job to determine damages and whether or not a report should be filed. I would point this out to his superior in a nice and respectful way. I suspect they will have had problems like this before, probably with this officer, and they will appreciate the additional information to help get him to do his job.

Hey just my opinion. :thumbsup:

[Joliet Johnny]

We get the estimate on Wednesday and had planned to bring it with. My concern is that maybe this happens to a person who doesnt know any better (glad to have a smart wife)and they get stuck with a deductible they shouldnt have to pay. Also still a bit annoyed about the time wasted for a stupid bulb out :) Your right Tony this cops definitely wasnt a bodyman lol. But there was visible damage, my "trained" eye spotted the quarter panel damage once I spotted the car and it was bad enough to be picked up with the iPhone that has a horrible camera. Im just hoping its totaled so then its paid off and still very drivable. In IL if a vehicle is "totaled" you can buy it back for $200 and it retains a clear title. I figure it can have cool "ricer" looking tail lights and the car gods invented bondo for a reason.

[Mudderoy]

We get the estimate on Wednesday and had planned to bring it with. My concern is that maybe this happens to a person who doesnt know any better (glad to have a smart wife)and they get stuck with a deductible they shouldnt have to pay. Also still a bit annoyed about the time wasted for a stupid bulb out :) Your right Tony this cops definitely wasnt a bodyman lol. But there was visible damage, my "trained" eye spotted the quarter panel damage once I spotted the car and it was bad enough to be picked up with the iPhone that has a horrible camera. Im just hoping its totaled so then its paid off and still very drivable. In IL if a vehicle is "totaled" you can buy it back for $200 and it retains a clear title. I figure it can have cool "ricer" looking tail lights and the car gods invented bondo for a reason.

ooo that would be nice. $200, cool. Sorry if I went into too much detail of things you already knew. I tend to do that. :D

[Joliet Johnny]

No worries, the more info we put out the less the next guy has to wonder about. You know if this was a couple other forums Ive been to I would have been shouted down with the "this topic has been discussed already"(even though Im sure it hadn't been) and if I added to such a thread then I would have been accused of gravedigging. Yup this is the only forum Ive ever posted on since the great mistake of asking about an UNRESOLVED!!!! PROBLEM!!!! with AVG.

[4.3LXJ]

Cops seem to be getting like this everywhere. If you have a theft where I live, they send you a form to fill out for their statistics. Unless you have many thousands of dollars stolen, then whoever it is gets away with it. If you have money embezzled it needs to be a couple of hundred grand or better before they investigate. But your right, traffic infractions get the priority. I am surprised the guy wasn't issued a ticket for failure to stop or yield the right of way. Those generate revenue too.

[Weldmen]

There is no money for the county or city for accidents. Just citations, more tickets, more money, big STAR :)

[Jamie Lynn]

Honestly, I know in Pa..the cops absolutely HATE doing accident reports due to the paperwork that is involved in it..a whole whopping 5 pages..( Omg...5 pages and it kills them) It requires them to measure the distances, take everyone's info, take photos, do lay outs..I mean, it seriously interrupts their coffee and donuts time and stops them for a little while of harassing people over some stupid crap like a burnout tail light...I still say go in and talk to his supervisor..I'm sure nothing will come of it..but better to complain about it because what happens if later on someone else has the same problem because Captain Donut eater does the same thing to them..

Anyway..glad to hear that your wife wasn't hurt and that you might be able to get a "project" car out the the deal.

[WyoXJ]

I was jsut involved in a little fender bender. Less than a thousand dollars damage to there car.(I was at fault) My officer did file a report but did not give me a ticket. Got lucky. I agree that the officers don't like to do the paperwork, But ya I would go in and talk to the his superviser. The paperwork is part of the job. just my .02

[DirtBound Offroad]

i was driving though chicago a few years ago and sitting in grid lock on the freeway, and got rear ended. My jeep only had minor damage with a cracked hatch, bumper broke a weld and the tank was dented slightly.

The other guy had hood pushed in pretty good, the cop took all our info and handed us a printed report with all the other partys info.

I was shocked how they did all the work for the report, in fact it was almost to make us not have to speak to the other party?

Seems strange a cop would not want to do a report, but maybe he was being lazy...

[XJ4IV]

heres the reason why he didnt want to do a report... if BOTH parties agreed who was at fault and bother were insured and NEITHER had warrants and all damages were GOING to be taken care of by insurance then there really is no need for a police report, I was involved in a hit and run last year... in the end I didnt file agains the runner... please look for my thread
http://xjtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6763
It shows the extent of the damages and after everythingwas all said and done we got our car back in perfect shape... no police were really needed if both parties were legitimately fine and were in agreement as to having insurance take care of everything! taking it to his superior really wouldnt do much than be a total waste of your time! he might say something to make you feel better like "we'll have a nice little chit chat with the officer regaurding his responsibilities" but the minute you leave that complaint will get a deep 6 filing

[Jamie Lynn]

heres the reason why he didnt want to do a report... if BOTH parties agreed who was at fault and bother were insured and NEITHER had warrants and all damages were GOING to be taken care of by insurance then there really is no need for a police report, I was involved in a hit and run last year... in the end I didnt file agains the runner... please look for my thread
http://xjtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6763
It shows the extent of the damages and after everythingwas all said and done we got our car back in perfect shape... no police were really needed if both parties were legitimately fine and were in agreement as to having insurance take care of everything! taking it to his superior really wouldnt do much than be a total waste of your time! he might say something to make you feel better like "we'll have a nice little chit chat with the officer regaurding his responsibilities" but the minute you leave that complaint will get a deep 6 filing

Wow..I do remember you posting that..has it really been that long ago?

[LizardRunner]

I personally always get the cop to write the report. Once, I thought it was two drivers agreeing to be amicable about the incident and that insurance would do the right thing, only to find later that it wasn't the case. Now I make sure I have evidence for the insurance company in the form of a police report any time I'm involved in an accident. It tends to keep me from having to sue the pants off the offender to get things put right.

[XJ4IV]

well in a real case scenario your supposed to call the insurance PRIOR to leaving the other party so that a neutral party is invloved and in the know. for those who DON'T know ANY time you do a police report they run your DL which means if you have unpaid ANYTHING or a warrant guess who gets busted!

[LizardRunner]

well I don't have any unpaid anythings. never have had any. It was a lawyer who advised me to always have a report filed in any accident. I just took the advice. I am confused though how calling an insurance company relates to a "Neutral" party. Neutral would mean they have no interest, direct or indirect in the outcome, wouldn't it?

[XJ4IV]

well I don't have any unpaid anythings. never have had any. It was a lawyer who advised me to always have a report filed in any accident. I just took the advice. I am confused though how calling an insurance company relates to a "Neutral" party. Neutral would mean they have no interest, direct or indirect in the outcome, wouldn't it?

in this aspect a neutral party meaning now someone not involved in the accident knows the facts and since eveything on an insurance call is recorded for quality assurance...(and to cover their ass) it IS admissable in court. If during the phone call to the at faults party to Insurance anything goes not to fact THEN Id call police

[LizardRunner]

ahhh, gotcha.

[Joliet Johnny]

Time for an update...
We got the estimate done today and it came to $1700 damage, then we went to the body shop and the guy there laughed at what we were quoted and he also could believe how the cop didnt think there was any damage. Cool thing is there paying my wife for a 12hr day she missed from work and $100 for the inconvenience of this all.

[LizardRunner]

Glad to hear it's working out for you. It is indeed hard to believe how much a "simple" bang up can cost to be repaired.

[Joliet Johnny]

when I my XJ got hit I didnt get that lucky, did get enough for XJ armor and cool looking rear bumper (still waiting for check).

[saar]

Good to know it worked out fine.
Saar

[bluedragon436]

Glad to hear that it seems to have been remedied!! I know that most of the cops I have talked to over the years.. they all seem to now really want to have to do anything more than they have to... Seems kind of crummy that is for sure to have the police (some of them, not all of them) act like that..

[Joliet Johnny]

Well got a surprise in the mailbox today, they mailed my wife a check for $550 for for "time missed from work" and the whole inconvenience of it all. I really need to figure out how to get someone insured with Allstate to hit my Civic, Id rather not have the XJ in an another accident. We also filed the report and they really seemed not to care.