State -- Missouri
My 23 year old son was in an accident on a Missouri Interstate. He was driving his pickup truck in the left lane and a van was along side him in the right lane. He states the van veered to the left, striking his vehicle causing him to end up in the median of the highway. The van fled the scene.
A Missouri safety officer arrived within minutes. Of course, my son told him what had happened. About 45 minutes later, an officer advised my son the woman driving the van had been stopped.
A few weeks later, he received a letter from the van driver's insurance company asking for payment of damages. He requested a copy of the accident report from the Missouri Highway Patrol.
The officer's report stated that my son was changing lanes and hit the van, then overcorrected and ended up in the median.
The woman was alone in the van. My son's girlfriend was in his vehicle, but she was asleep at the time of the collision. There are no witnesses listed on the accident report and my son is not aware of any witnesses.
This is essentially a "He said/She said" situation. Obviously, the patrolman wrote his report based on waht he was told by a 42 year old woman rather than what he was told by a 23 year old man.
My son contacted the officer's supervisor and explained how the accident occurred. He recently received a revised report but, even with the revisions, the report still indicates that he is to blame.
We could use some advice. Does my son have any recourse in this situation?
Thank you
My 23 year old son was in an accident on a Missouri Interstate. He was driving his pickup truck in the left lane and a van was along side him in the right lane. He states the van veered to the left, striking his vehicle causing him to end up in the median of the highway. The van fled the scene.
A Missouri safety officer arrived within minutes. Of course, my son told him what had happened. About 45 minutes later, an officer advised my son the woman driving the van had been stopped.
A few weeks later, he received a letter from the van driver's insurance company asking for payment of damages. He requested a copy of the accident report from the Missouri Highway Patrol.
The officer's report stated that my son was changing lanes and hit the van, then overcorrected and ended up in the median.
The woman was alone in the van. My son's girlfriend was in his vehicle, but she was asleep at the time of the collision. There are no witnesses listed on the accident report and my son is not aware of any witnesses.
This is essentially a "He said/She said" situation. Obviously, the patrolman wrote his report based on waht he was told by a 42 year old woman rather than what he was told by a 23 year old man.
My son contacted the officer's supervisor and explained how the accident occurred. He recently received a revised report but, even with the revisions, the report still indicates that he is to blame.
We could use some advice. Does my son have any recourse in this situation?
Thank you