Hi all

This has never happened but looking for some LEO or legal type advice.

Daughter and friends are staying at a nice hotel in Dallas for the W/E and the valet cracked the bumper and the taillight on her friends Jeep. GM says they'll "take full responsibility" but I dont trust anyone.

Should they get the cops involved at some point and file a report? Luckily the kids dad runs a nice body shop back home but the hotel doesnt need to know that.

I told them take pics of everything and document time, place etc...

Im thinking that unless they have a written statement from the GM of the hotel describing the event and that they will pay 100% of the repairs, call the cops.

Thanks

JB

Don't know about there, but around here the police don't really get too involved with minor accidents on private property. Generally no laws to enforce in that situation.

Agee... Minor bump on private property will generate zero police interest. I would chat with my insurance to see how they want to handle it.

If it's a national hotel chain, get a written letter from the GM, get a local estimate at the dealership (nobody can argue with a dealerships estimate as not being accurate) and go from there. Here the police won't even come out for that.

What they said. Not sure why the cops would/should be involved??

It’s a simple insurance matter. Call in the claim and let your insurer take it from there.

-Rob

I saw a bad one about 15 years ago near Chicago. The valet driver backed a Mercedes smack into a pole, rear lens & surrounding area damaged.

I had to look away, due to all the angst generated.

We don't take reports on accidents that occur on private property. What we'll do is show up and make sure that there is an exchange of information so that the insurance information is known to the victim.

It sorta sucks, IMHO. When I was on patrol back in the dark ages a guy backing out of a space hit a pedestrian and my-then supervisor ordered me to do nothing other than make certain info was exchanged. I wanted to do the report and cite the guy, but she shut me down.

If your daughter's friend is going to involve her insurance company they may want a police report, but otherwise I agree there's no reason to bother calling the cops for that.

Thanks for all the advice.

Its a Curio Collection hotel, owned by Hilton, so I think they will do the right thing.

Plus the valet was seen dabbing (think vaping for marijuana) before the incident...

Hilton might step up.

But, I'll bet you a dollar that the valet was an independent contractor hired by the hotel. They hotel may also say, "Take it up with the valet." The valet will be some fly-by-night operator with no assets or identifiable bank account, who will not agree to pay you a dime. If you sue them, you will never be able to collect a nickel from them. I hate to be so negative but that is the business model. They do it that way on purpose.

So start with Hilton - that is your best bet. You can then talk to the valet operator, but good luck.

Of course, her insurer is there, and she will have some coverage, subject to deductibles.

The cops will have no interest in helping you, but this quite literally isn't their job. This isn't a crime. It was an accident. It isn't a crime to accidentally damage someone's property when they voluntarily entrust it to you. It is purely a civil matter.

I detest valet parking and will generally go elsewhere to eat, to avoid having to use it.

The only time we got involved on PP was if there was alcohol involved, or no driver's license. We came and had the two parties fill out a private property report and gave them the report number to give to their insurance co. It doesn't hurt to fill out a report, sometimes people have amnesia several days later!!!!

quote:

But, I'll bet you a dollar that the valet was an independent contractor hired by the hotel

^^^^^^^^^^
We had no parking garages or valet parking until the casinos came in 1992. All the valets are employees and if they damage a vehicle they will pay for repairs. Additionally most casinos video the vehicle before parking. It is about keeping the guest happy and wagering.