My friend crashed my car, wrote it off, and has basically disappeared since
Long story short, I let a friend drive my car and he crashed it into a tree. The car was written off and I ended up in hospital with multiple injuries, while he walked away mostly uninjured.
I deeply regret letting him drive and I’ve blamed myself a lot for that decision, but I don’t think that means I should be left dealing with everything alone. Since the accident, he’s basically disappeared and stopped responding.
The accident was reported to Victoria Police, my TAC claim has been accepted, and the car was comprehensively insured. I’m currently unable to work because of my injuries.
Legally, I’m trying to understand what happens if the driver simply refuses to communicate. Do I need to pursue him personally for any losses that aren’t covered by TAC or insurance? Should I be speaking to a personal injury lawyer, and is there anything I should be doing now to protect my ability to claim compensation later?
I’m on a Working Holiday visa and don’t have family in Australia, so I’m trying to navigate all of this while recovering. Any guidance on how this normally works in Victoria would be really appreciated.