One of the worst fears of any car owner is that you’ll come back to where you parked your vehicle, only to find that someone has smashed into it.
This sort of damage is fairly common. One 2022 survey stated that almost 60 percent of Americans claim that their car has been damaged while parked.
Whether the result is a minor scrape or a full-on collision, actually resolving an issue like this can prove difficult. Not every parking lot has a security camera, and while some are lucky enough to figure out the perpetrator of their accident, others are left wondering who smashed their vehicle—and questioning whether they’ll be tasked with footing the bill.
Now, TikToker has shared their own experience coming back to a broken car. Here’s what you should do in this situation.
What Did a Dollar General Truck do to Her Car?
In a video with over 91,000 views, TikTok user Jerilynn Gibson (@jerilynngibson) says she left her hotel job to discover that a Dollar General truck smashed her vehicle while it was in the parking lot.
“I get off of work. We had a Dollar General driver come in in a semi, OK?” she says. “I get off of work, my car’s [expletive]. [Expletive]!” she exclaims.
“Not only that, but it pushed it up against this [expletive] Jeep,” she continues. “I don’t have the money to replace that. I’m [expletive] broke. I don’t have the money for another car, a rental car, nothing.”
In a follow-up post, she shows a video of her car being hit by the truck. In another series of posts, she offers viewers a series of updates.
First, she says that she was the staff member who checked in the person who hit her car into the hotel. According to her, when she confronted the man, he claimed that he “didn’t know that he hit my car.”
“There’s no [expletive] way that he did not know that he hit my car,” she says. “He just thought it was gonna be another guest car and he wasn’t going to get caught, is my thoughts on the situation.”
She adds that her whole bumper is now gone, and that she is attempting to solve the issue through both insurance and by contacting Dollar General.
What Should You Do If Someone Hits Your Parked Car?
If you return to your parked vehicle to find that someone has crashed into it, don’t panic.
According to Progressive, there are a few steps that one should follow if they come back to their vehicle and find that someone has hit it. First, one should not move the car or leave the scene. Second, they should try to locate the person who did it and exchange information. Next, the person should take as many photos from as many angles as they can in order to file a police report and a claim with their insurance.
If you can prove someone else caused the damage, Progressive states that its insurance should cover the damage. If you don’t know who did it, or you can’t prove who did it—but you have collision coverage—your insurance should cover the damage. However, if you don’t have insurance and cannot find the person responsible, chances are high that you’ll have to pay out of pocket.
@jerilynngibson How’s your night? #fml #car #done ♬ original sound – Jerilynn Gibson
Commenters Share Their Thoughts
In the comments section, users shared their thoughts on Gibson’s situation.
“If he’s so unaware of his surroundings to NOT know he hit your car….. he dang well better lose his CDL,” wrote a user. “I used to always feel so safe driving near semis. Now they terrify me. They are not the same people that used to drive. They are now careless and reckless people driving them.”
“Oh no he knew exactly what he’d done not even your car but the one next to you he shoved you into . Absolutely ridiculous he isn’t charged with hit an run even in a private lot,” added another. “Call DG corporate.”
“If you have any car seats in your van . Make sure you claim those too. They need to be replaced. Truck driver’s insurance will cover them,” suggested a third.
The Mary Sue reached out to Gibson via Instagram and TikTok direct message, and Dollar General via email
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