Repairs of credit and a car

DEAR HARRY: I have two questions, and I hope you can answer both. About 11 years ago, I was contacted by one of the large home-improvement stores to pay a bill I never incurred. It was apparently an error as a result of having the same name as my son, from whom I am estranged. They bothered me for a year even after they acknowledged that the stuff was delivered to his address. They ruined my credit. Is there a statute of limitations on stuff like this?

Last Friday, my wife was parked legally on a major street in Delaware County when a grocery delivery truck sideswiped her car and two others. Their insurance company wants to total our car because the repairs would go above $6,000, and that's more than the car is worth. That won't get us a decent car to replace the old one. Isn't there some way we can get them to just repair Old Faithful?

WHAT HARRY SAYS: That old, improper debt is way beyond the four-year statute of limitations. Unfortunately, repairing your credit is more difficult because of the time that has elapsed. That debt should no longer be on your credit report. Contact the big three credit agencies to make sure. The car is a more difficult situation. Your own insurance company can help you to get the settlement you're looking for, because the liability is clearly the fault of the truck. However, your own policy unquestionably has a similar position regarding repairs versus totaling. A lawyer might help, but at what cost? Sorry!