The Shoulder
The Shoulder
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Car accidentsclear-badger-892

T-boned at a 4-way stop — I was already through the intersection, who's at fault?

Still kind of shaken up writing this but I need some outside perspective because my brain keeps going in circles.

So I was driving through a 4-way stop intersection yesterday afternoon. I came to a complete stop, checked both ways, saw nothing coming that was close, and started going. I was probably 75% through the intersection when a pickup truck plowed into my rear driver's side door. My car got pushed sideways and I ended up on the curb. Airbags didn't go off but the impact was hard enough that my neck snapped sideways pretty badly.

Here's where it gets complicated for me: the truck came from my left. I've always heard the "right of way" rule means whoever is on your right goes first at a 4-way stop. So technically the truck to my left wouldn't have had the right of way over me anyway — but honestly I'm not even sure he stopped at all. A woman who was waiting at one of the other stops told police she didn't see his brake lights.

His damage was just a cracked front bumper. My whole rear quarter panel is destroyed and the door won't open.

His insurance has already called me twice today and they're being weirdly friendly, asking me to "just walk them through what happened." That's making me nervous honestly.

Does anyone have experience with a situation like this where you were mostly through an intersection when you got hit? Does being that far through change anything about fault? And should I even be talking to his insurance right now?

11replies

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11 replies

  • 10
    bright-newt-517

    Do NOT give that insurance company a recorded statement. That "friendly" call is exactly how they get you to say something they can use to reduce your payout later. They are not your friend, they are working to protect their policyholder, not you. Seriously, tell them you'll be in touch and hang up.

    • 5
      calm-optimist420

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

  • 18
    bold-marmot-147

    I used to work claims and I'll tell you exactly why they're calling so fast — they want your version on record before you talk to anyone else or lawyer up. The friendliness is a tactic. Once you give a recorded statement, that's locked in. If you later remember a detail differently or your injuries turn out to be worse than you thought, that recording will be used against you. You don't have to talk to the other driver's insurance at all right now.

  • 21
    quiet-swan-791

    Almost the exact same thing happened to me at an intersection near my house. I was well into the cross street when someone clipped my rear end. Because I was so far through, the police report actually noted the other driver as the primary cause. The responding officer's notes ended up being really important. Did you get a copy of the report yet? Also — did the officer note anything about whether the other driver stopped?

    • 7
      quiet-passenger736

      Did you have to escalate, or did they come around after the first ask?

  • 10
    silent-dove-372

    A couple things worth knowing: being mostly through an intersection when impact occurs can actually work in your favor because it shows you had already cleared before the hazard appeared. The witness who said she didn't see his brake lights is potentially huge — make sure her info is on the police report, and if it's not, try to track her down if you can. Also, comparative fault rules vary by state, so depending on where you are, even a small percentage of fault assigned to you could affect a claim. Worth understanding your state's specific rules.

  • 22
    quick-wren-718

    Please go get checked out if you haven't already. You mentioned your neck snapped sideways on impact — whiplash and soft tissue injuries often don't fully show up until 24-48 hours later when the adrenaline wears off. If you wait too long to see a doctor, insurance can argue your injuries weren't related to the accident. Go today if you can, even just urgent care, and make sure you describe exactly what happened to your neck.

  • 17
    patient-finch-170

    Not legal advice, but the scenario you're describing — a witness, visible damage disparity, and you being majority through the intersection — is exactly the kind of fact pattern worth discussing with a PI attorney before you say anything more to the other insurer. Most do free consultations. At minimum, get an idea of where you stand before you give anyone a statement. The calls will keep coming; you don't have to answer them today.

  • 3
    calm-finch-183

    Short version: stop answering that insurance company's calls, get your neck looked at today, get the police report ASAP, and find out if that witness is named in it. Those are your four moves right now. Everything else can wait.

    • 0
      patient-driver548

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

  • 12
    kind-heron-641

    I just want to say — it sounds really scary and I'm glad you're okay enough to post this. Please don't let the insurance stuff stress you into rushing any decisions. Take a breath. You have time to do this right.