Driver lying after rear-ending me. What do I do?

I was rear-ended at a red light while stopped in a right-turn lane behind another car. The driver behind me just rolled into my car. I contacted her insurance right away, but it took her nearly a week to respond. Now I’ve learned that she’s claiming the light turned green, I started moving, and then slammed on my brakes, causing her to hit me. She’s also saying the damage to my car was already there before the accident.

I’m furious about this. Should I get my own insurance involved? Will they fight for me? I feel stuck and don’t know what to do.

Even with her story, she’s still at fault. She’s required to maintain a safe distance, keep a proper lookout, and apply brakes in time. She failed to do all three. I’d recommend talking to the adjuster’s supervisor.

@Avery
Absolutely, she’s at fault regardless of her story. You can report this to your insurance, and they’ll likely fight for you. You might need to pay your deductible upfront, but you can recover it if your insurance wins the claim.

@Nuri
I wouldn’t bother involving an agent—they can’t really do much in claims situations.

@Avery
She’s clearly in the wrong here. She has a duty to avoid a collision by maintaining control and keeping a safe distance. Unless she has a dashcam or a witness supporting her claim, it’s unlikely she’ll get away with this.

@Timber
Agreed. But it’s always better to handle it calmly and professionally rather than making threats.

Unless she has a dashcam proving you backed into her, rear-end accidents are typically the fault of the driver in the back.

Her duties are clear: maintain a safe distance, brake in time, and keep a proper lookout. If she failed to do those things, she’s at fault. If her insurance won’t cooperate, you should file with your own insurance and let them handle it.

If you’re in a city with traffic cams, check if there’s footage of the accident. It could help your case.

Even if you had stopped suddenly, she’s still responsible for maintaining a safe distance to avoid a collision. Push her insurance to take responsibility or file through your own.

Has her insurance actually denied your claim in writing? If not, they might just be investigating her side of the story. Her claim about you slamming on the brakes sounds like an excuse. Unless she can prove it, her insurance will likely have to pay.

A dashcam would have been great here, but even without one, you should report this to your insurance. They’ll likely take on the fight for you. Rear-end accidents are almost always the fault of the driver in the back unless there’s proof of intentional braking.

At this point, it’s her word against yours. If her insurance doesn’t take responsibility, you should use your collision coverage if you have it.

Did her insurance actually deny liability, or are they just looking into her version of events?

Invest in a dashcam for the future. They’re invaluable in cases like this. Meanwhile, file with your insurance and let them handle the back-and-forth. Rear-end accidents are almost always the fault of the rear driver.