help-rear ended someone else and no insurance

[elizabeth30]

What is the name of your state? California
Hello will anyone please give me some advice i don't know what to do... I rear ended someone, the person I hit moved then stopped suddently I didn't stop on time, so I hit his car, apperently he hit the car in front of his and this car hit another. My car was the most damaged...totaled - I was driving w/no insurance, but the person I hit has insurance including uninsured so he is not worried about him, in speaking with him, he stated that I should be more worried about the other two cars I told him that per my understanding the person who hits the car in fron is responsible, he stated that that isn't true... I don't know what to do.... well he doesn't want to be responsible for the person he hit, again I honestly don't know what to do...will someone please help me... thank you so much

 

[justalayman]

What kind of help are you looking for. The fact that you are at fault and liable for all the damage doesn't bode well for you. Even though the others may have insurance does not stop you from being liable and insurance companies will try to get the money this cost them from you.

How did you total your car if all of you were stopped then started to move and then everybody stopped except you. Doesn't seem like you could get moving fast enough to total a car.

 

[elizabeth30]

the help i was looking for was to know if indeed i am liable and or should i get an attorney?

 

[justalayman]

yes and it would be a good idea

 

[elizabeth30]

should i contact the other person myself? and maybe come to terms with them, or what should I do???? or should I just contact an attorney and they can probably deal w/it? I don't know if I should contact the other person or not... I did not get their information only the person who I rear ended... if I am indeed liable I rather contact them and fix their car out of my pocket, i know it wasn't much only a bumper.. now where should i or how do i know what attorney to get????? this is such a nightmare...I wish I could wake up from...

 

[elizabeth30]

or if I contact the other person I don't want to jeoperdize everything, I don't even know what the police took or said in the report, the report i have only states to call a number if i want more information... when will i see this report? and how do we get it, does it take time??? should i call the police officer myself?? thank you anyone for your advice on this nightmare of mine.. i just want to take care of this and move on with my life... i didn't even hear from the guy i hit i had to call him and he is fine, again he stated that i should worry about the other two cars.... i'm so confused at this point

 

[zippysgoddess]

It does not matter who hit which car in front of them, other than your hit! You were the one who set off the chain reaction and caused the entire accident, so yes, you are liable for all of them!

You hit the vehicle in front of you, which in turn caused them, who were at a safe stop, to hit the vehicle in front of them, nope, sorry, they have no liability whatsoever.

Don't talk to any of them, get yourself an attorney YESTERDAY! Hell, you should have been sitting in the office of an attorney immediately following this accident instead of posting on here. Then again, the smartest thing would have been to not be driving without insurance to begin with.

Keep your mouth SHUT! Do not talk to any of them until you consult with an attorney, and even then only talk to them if he says it is alright to do so.

When you are thinking of the person who hit the other vehicle being the one at fault, you are thinking of a two car rearend accident, not a multiple chain accident. Then the fault goes back to the first person in the chain who F'd up, which in this case was you.

Common rule of thumb, never move your vehicle until you are certain that the rest of traffic is moving, and will continue to move as well. Better to sit there an extra moment or so than to hit into someone. You must have accelerated pretty fast to total your car like that, which is also never a good idea in start and stop traffic.

As to the dude with the uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, yes, they will cover his vehicle for him, but you ARE NOT off the hook there either, his company will come after you for reimbursement of what they have to pay out to fix his vehicle since you caused the accident.

Unless you have a lot of money stashed away somewhere, look forward to spending a lot of time in court rooms, and mediation in the future.