The Shoulder
The Shoulder
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Insurancegenuine-finch-799

Other driver forced me off the road — no contact — their insurance says not our problem??

Still kind of in disbelief this is even a thing that can happen legally.

So about three weeks ago I'm driving on a two-lane road and this pickup comes flying out of a side street and cuts directly into my lane. I had maybe a split second to react — I yanked the wheel hard to the right to avoid getting hit and clipped a concrete median barrier. Busted up my front bumper and cracked something in the wheel well. The pickup never actually touched my car.

The driver did pull over eventually (I basically had to flash my lights and pull up alongside him to get him to stop). We exchanged info, I took photos of both vehicles and the scene, got his plate.

Filed a claim with his insurance. Just heard back — denied. Their reasoning is basically: our vehicle made no physical contact with yours, therefore our insured bears no liability. Done, goodbye.

I'm sorry, WHAT? He literally forced me into a barrier. I have a dashcam and you can clearly see him cut into my lane before I swerve. Repair estimate is sitting around $800.

Do I just eat this? File through my own collision coverage and take the hit on my deductible? Is there any way to actually pursue this through his insurance or would I need to go to small claims?

I'm not trying to make a huge thing out of this but it genuinely doesn't feel right that he causes an accident and faces zero consequences just because there's no paint transfer. Anyone dealt with something like this?

14replies

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14 replies

  • 5
    plain-wolf-891

    This happened to me almost exactly — guy ran a stop sign, I swerved into a ditch to avoid him, he kept driving. His insurance said the same thing: no contact, no liability. It's infuriating. I ended up going through my own insurance and fighting the at-fault determination afterward. Took a few months but I did eventually get reimbursed. Don't just drop it.

    • 7
      quiet-neighbor527

      This is exactly what I needed to read today. Thank you.

  • 20
    patient-wolf-319

    That denial is their opening move, not the final word. Insurers bank on people hearing 'denied' and walking away. The fact that you have dashcam footage is huge — most people in your situation have nothing. Do NOT let that footage out of your hands without keeping a backup copy somewhere safe. Don't email it to them without knowing exactly how they plan to use it.

    • 2
      hopeful-walker636

      Same boat here. Did anyone mention a deadline to watch out for?

  • 21
    clever-vole-740

    I used to work claims and I'll be real with you: 'no contact' denials are legitimate under certain policy interpretations, but they're also used as an easy out when adjusters don't want to dig into fault. The thing that changes the calculus is documented evidence — and a dashcam that clearly shows a lane incursion forcing your evasive maneuver is genuinely strong. If you formally dispute the denial in writing and mention the footage, a lot of adjusters will take a second look rather than risk a bad-faith complaint.

  • 8
    gentle-seal-769

    A few things worth doing right now: (1) Send a formal written dispute to the other driver's insurance referencing the specific footage timestamps. (2) File a complaint with your state's Department of Insurance — it's free and it gets the carrier's attention fast. (3) Check whether your own policy has uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage, which can sometimes apply in forced-off-road scenarios even when the other driver IS insured. Small claims is also absolutely on the table for $800 — it's designed for exactly this kind of thing.

    • 8
      restless-road-soul188

      Exactly my experience. Persistence paid off in the end.

  • 12
    plain-swift-205

    Not legal advice, but 'no contact' does not automatically mean no liability in most states — causation matters, and if his lane change directly caused your evasive maneuver and the resulting damage, there's a real negligence argument. Dashcam footage showing his vehicle's position before your swerve is exactly the kind of evidence that supports that. Depending on your state, small claims could work well here given the amount. Might be worth a free consult just to understand your options before you decide anything.

    • 9
      curious-walker418

      Going through something similar right now. Did following up actually move the needle for you?

  • 17
    spry-tern-250

    Back up that dashcam footage RIGHT NOW if you haven't. Like, before you do anything else. SD cards get overwritten, devices get lost. Get it on your phone, your laptop, a cloud drive — all three. That footage is the whole ballgame here.

  • 11
    gentle-raven-625

    Just want to ask — are you physically okay? Sometimes after a sudden swerve and impact like that people brush off soreness or stiffness because the car damage seems minor. If you've had any neck tension, headaches, or back aches since it happened, please see someone. Doesn't have to be an ER, even your regular doctor. Just don't ignore it because the property damage feels like the bigger issue right now.

    • 9
      weary-wanderer892

      Solid advice. Getting it in writing is the part most people skip.

  • 13
    careful-wolf-770

    What does the dashcam footage actually show? Like, does it clearly show his vehicle in your lane, or is it more ambiguous — like you can see him nearby but not definitively cutting you off? That detail matters a lot for how far you'll get with this.

  • 15
    bright-heron-564

    Honestly the fact that you have dashcam footage puts you in a way better position than most people in no-contact situations. A lot of folks have nothing and really do have to eat the cost. You have actual evidence. That changes things significantly — don't give up on this yet.