WTF?!?

Every morning I wake up and it's like I'm trapped in bizarro world.

This is just the latest thing to happen to make me question my own sanity and wonder how we got to the point we are at in this country.

I'll try to give enough details to explain what happened, but at the same time remain vague enough that if anything happens to those involved, purely by coincidence, no one will think it was me.  

First off, my sister lives in another state, not Missouri.  Secondly, she didn't tell me about this, I found out from our parents.  It apparently happened a while ago, and I just found out.

This is how things happened as I understand it...

My sister has to travel a lot for work, and the company gives her a car to use.  She was driving down the road when a woman ran a red light and struck her.  My sister said something to the woman about making a police report and the woman said she didn't have a phone.  My sister gets out her phone and calls the police.  Suddenly this other woman miraculously has a phone in her hand.  

I'm not sure if she called several people or just one and they spread the word, but the next thing my sister knows a bunch a cars swoop in and she's surrounded by several of this woman's male friends.  They kept trying to intimidate her and prevent her from making a police report.

Now, it's come to where I expect this sort of behavior (similar things have happened around here - 2 people have some sort of disagreement, one pulls out a cell phone, then a mob appears), and it didn't really surprise me.  Pissed me off?  Yes.  Surprised me?  No.

A police officer shows up at the scene, and I'm not sure why, but no report was made, no ticket was issued, nothing.  Now, I don't know about LE in the other state, but when I was in the business, every accident resulted in a ticket.  Not knowing their procedures, however, I don't know if there still would have been no report with no mob present, or if they succeeded in their goal.

So anyway, my sister goes on her way thinking it's all over.  Nope.  This woman had the audacity to sue my sister, for an accident that she caused herself.

My sister's employer decided it would be quicker and easier to hand this woman $10,000.

And people wonder why there are so many frivolous lawsuits - it's because companies puss out and instead of making a stand, just pay for it to go away.  While discussing this with my dad, he suggested it was cheaper than fighting in court.  My response was that was short term thinking - one case might be cheaper, but as word spreads that companies pay out without a fight, more people will sue.  Why not?  Who doesn't want free money?  In most cases, they have nothing to lose when suing because of all the ambulance chasers who "DON'T COLLECT UNLESS YOU WIN!!!"  There's definitely something wrong with the system when innocent parties find it's cheaper to pay someone off than to stand up, and dirt bags have no deterrence from doing stupid shit then blaming others.

I'm really pissed off right now and just need to vent.  The whole situation stinks to high heaven and a f***ing turd was rewarded for being a f***ing turd.

I also wanted to let people know this kind of thing can happen - you can be the victim and have the a-hole who caused the whole mess call in all their friends and next thing you know, you're outnumbered and surrounded.  I'm not sure how common this is, but like I mentioned earlier, it has happened around here a couple times that I'm aware of.  It's a really helpless feeling to know this happened to my own sister...

That sucks.  It is important in an accident to make sure a police report is taken and any witnesses provide their version of events.  Otherwise, it can very easily become he said/she said.

IMO, you shouldn't have to press the police to take a report, but if you do have to, press them hard to make sure the story is documented.

That's probably a big reason why her employer settled - with no report it was one driver's word against the other.

And as my past experience in LE has taught me, all of her friends that showed up that day would have sworn in court that they witnessed the entire thing.

Edit to add:

That reminds me, I really need to invest in a dash cam.

My BIL was just showing me the new dashcams that he installed at the family Thanksgiving Day get-together.  I had no idea they were so affordable.  IIRC, I don't think that he had $100 in the pair.

So, how do you get that report in towns like Springfield where they won't send the police unless there is an injury?  They hate taking them away from running their radar.

It's quite possible this person did this on purpose.  I've seen the same woman in the KC area that I have recognized who drives older cars that seems to be looking for an accident.  She gets in the blind spot behind company vehicles and gets as close to the line as possible as if waiting for the person she's lined up with to cross the line and hit her.

Back when I used to work for someone else and drove a company vehicle, I've had her line up on me several times.  the last time I saw her, I slowed down and looked over at her and shook my head.  She laughed and took off...., I assume to look for another sucker.

It is a screwed up world we live in!!!!

Agree with com-guy, sounds like a scammer with a "crew", or friends with nothing to do.   Your sis was probably in her turf or ambush zone.

Dash cams and technology are our friend.  I have buddy that has one, got hit recently, no arguments from other party, it was clearly their fault.

I have seen one accident where no ticket was issued, but there was a report.  

Another where other person hit me and caused it, she knew I was a GI and was spouting off at me in front of the cop disrespectfully, showing severe bias against GIs in an Army town.  Cop was an ex MP, too bad for the lady.

Sadly company vehicles are easy targets.

If there are that many "witnesses" the company has little choice but to pay the claim.  It really sucks to be in that situation.

Perhaps every accident used to result in a ticket.  My experience in reviewing driver reports and claims indicates that Missouri, Kansas, Indiana, Tennessee and Michigan do not or have not issued tickets for every accident for quite a while.

Here's one I had years ago,

I drove a wide load truck, guy(another truck) coming around a corner on MY side of the line.

His mirror hits my load and breaks, He ADMITS he was over the line, his Co driver says the same thing.

There was a witness who stopped also, as  "Good Samaritan witness"  HIS words

We all agree the $50.00 mirror isn't worth a police report and go on our merry way. I DID call my ins co to report it just to CMA

About 2 weeks later my ins co calls says the "Witness" has made a claim against both of us for damages.

Here's the list I can remember
Ruined tire
Ruined convertible top
Ruined interior seats
Dental work

ALL from the mirror glass

BOTH our ins co's paid this jerk.

You just can't make this stuff up!

I'm definitely going to get a dash cam.  There's one called the G1W that gets good reviews and I can get one of those for about $40.  I'd still need a good SD card, but those are easy to come by.