wrecked
5th Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,135
From:
RE: wrecked
I'd like to add to the importance of not signing anything about personal injuries until months after the accident. A lot of times things do not come up right after the accident but until down the road. I'm a guy who broke his back in three places, completely destroyed the L2 and was a mm away from being completely paralyzed, I've got pins and rods holding everything together. I had to have a bone graph from my hip to build my L2 back up. I destroyed my right foot. I've got pins and rods holding that together. That was three years ago and I'm still dealing with immense pain and problems. People don't realize how important your back is until you hurt it. Make sure it's okay.
3rd Gear Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 545
From: Flint, Michigan
RE: wrecked
ORIGINAL: poohflingr
Thank you for stopping the madness! All you guys making these idiotic and stupid comments about what is totalled and who pays for what are wrong! I work at USAA and can tell you with certainty that you do not make a claim with your insurance company if you aren't at fault. The only exception to the rule is if the other driver is uninsured. The at fault party is responsible for the repairs and you choose the shop that does the work. And you don't get your rates raised if you aren't at fault! Whoever said that probably thinks red cars have higher insurance rates! Bottom line is, stop listening to mommy and daddy when it comes to insurance.
ORIGINAL: pascal
USAA is the best in the Country...
Second is AMICA Mutual.
Some of you guys are talking out of your @sses too...
First of, a car gets totaled when the cost of the repair hits more than 70% of the value, few exceptions like classic and exotic cars.
So if your car is worth $30K, they will fix a $21K damage. Past that, it goes to the junk pile.
Second, when you're not at fault, your premium won't raise nor is your deductible applies.
If the other Insurance is a joke, you get yours involved to fightfor you.
It helps expediating the process and if there's a law suit, let your Insurance suing the losers instead of you. They have more weight.
For personal injuries, don't play around...
Go get checked ASAP and don't sign anything until you know what's wrong with you.
I have the feeling thatyour car won't get totaled, judging by those pics.
They used to allow clipping cars (rear impact only)but after a few law suits, the Insurance companies were forbiden to go that route.
In your case, it would have been the perfect candidate.
Would have taken less than a week.
Make a clean cut right before the quarter panels and below the roof line,then put another half from a salvage yard that you trim cut the same way and weld it flush.
I did this a lot back in the days but now, you can't clip anymore.
You have to buy every single part that is mangled and play Lego with the car.
Cost a lot more...
I hope that you won't have any residual health problems from that wreck.
Good luck man.
USAA is the best in the Country...
Second is AMICA Mutual.
Some of you guys are talking out of your @sses too...
First of, a car gets totaled when the cost of the repair hits more than 70% of the value, few exceptions like classic and exotic cars.
So if your car is worth $30K, they will fix a $21K damage. Past that, it goes to the junk pile.
Second, when you're not at fault, your premium won't raise nor is your deductible applies.
If the other Insurance is a joke, you get yours involved to fightfor you.
It helps expediating the process and if there's a law suit, let your Insurance suing the losers instead of you. They have more weight.
For personal injuries, don't play around...
Go get checked ASAP and don't sign anything until you know what's wrong with you.
I have the feeling thatyour car won't get totaled, judging by those pics.
They used to allow clipping cars (rear impact only)but after a few law suits, the Insurance companies were forbiden to go that route.
In your case, it would have been the perfect candidate.
Would have taken less than a week.
Make a clean cut right before the quarter panels and below the roof line,then put another half from a salvage yard that you trim cut the same way and weld it flush.
I did this a lot back in the days but now, you can't clip anymore.
You have to buy every single part that is mangled and play Lego with the car.
Cost a lot more...
I hope that you won't have any residual health problems from that wreck.
Good luck man.
And all these comments from people saying, "Don't let the insurance company only do this or that, blah blah blah." The insurance company will make the decision whether it is totalled or not based on criteria that has been tested in court. Really do you think they just decide based on the flip of a coin or the color of car, or the age of the driver?
They calculate the cost or repair vs totalling. IF repairing the car will leave it structurally sound and safe to drive they will repair it even if it the estimate falls $10 below the cutoff for repair or total.
You can argue and complain and threaten court all you like but the odds are definately in thier favor. You challenge thier decision and sue and watch how long it takes to get a check so that you can get a new car. You will be stuck making payments on a vehicle that is sitting somewhere in a lot with other wrecked cars, while the case endlessly works it's way through litigation. That is assuming that there isn't an "arbitration" clause in your policy.
Insurance companies wrote the rules and the government gives them a ton of freedom to make sure the rules benefit them more than the consumer.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,460
From: WV
RE: wrecked
It really is disheartening to see such a beautiful car smashed. It can happen so quickly too.
MOST importantly, glad to hear you're ok. Let us know how things turn out for you.
Wish you the best, s ~
MOST importantly, glad to hear you're ok. Let us know how things turn out for you.
Wish you the best, s ~
6th Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,390
From: West Los Angeles
RE: wrecked
it's tough seeing a car like that all smashed up... but it's tougher seeing it not bashed up enough to be totalled! Did your airbags not go off? That's too bad, because that would have increased the cost to fix and you really want it totalled! With today's cars you really don't want them to fix even a fender bender! How is the engine damaged? They cost about $7,000 to replace.
But please get yourself checked out by a physician. Get a referral from your doctor or a lawyer who handles cases like these. This is not the time to be looking at your next Mustang! You're counting your eggs before the chicken has even been born!
You want the highest dollar amount you can get your the accident and any pain and suffering. You should be putting together all yuor receipts, payments, etc. Not car shopping!
Save that for when you know how much they will be paying you.
The good news is that prices on 2008's are dropping like the way gas prices are rising. You should be able to get a new car for under invoice soon. Or even better, buy a late model used car and put the extra in the bank.
But please get yourself checked out by a physician. Get a referral from your doctor or a lawyer who handles cases like these. This is not the time to be looking at your next Mustang! You're counting your eggs before the chicken has even been born!
You want the highest dollar amount you can get your the accident and any pain and suffering. You should be putting together all yuor receipts, payments, etc. Not car shopping!
Save that for when you know how much they will be paying you.
The good news is that prices on 2008's are dropping like the way gas prices are rising. You should be able to get a new car for under invoice soon. Or even better, buy a late model used car and put the extra in the bank.
S197 Section Modder-ator
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 13,373
From: Orlando FL
RE: wrecked
157 is right...
Today's cars have a unibody with frame RAILS welded to it.
They usually stop under the rear seats but pick back up under the trunk area.
Old cars and trucks have aFULL frame that separates from the body. It is not welded!
This is where the confusion resides...
When I talkwith professionals, we say "frame rails", as opposed to simply "frame" if we're talking about a truck for exemple.
Class dismissed. Come back around 7 PM
.
Today's cars have a unibody with frame RAILS welded to it.
They usually stop under the rear seats but pick back up under the trunk area.
Old cars and trucks have aFULL frame that separates from the body. It is not welded!
This is where the confusion resides...
When I talkwith professionals, we say "frame rails", as opposed to simply "frame" if we're talking about a truck for exemple.
Class dismissed. Come back around 7 PM
.
4th Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,615
From: Texas
RE: wrecked
ORIGINAL: pascal
157 is right...
Today's cars have a unibody with frame RAILS welded to it.
They usually stop under the rear seats but pick back up under the trunk area.
Old cars and trucks have aFULL frame that separates from the body. It is not welded!
This is where the confusion resides...
When I talkwith professionals, we say "frame rails", as opposed to simply "frame" if we're talking about a truck for exemple.
Class dismissed. Come back around 7 PM.
157 is right...
Today's cars have a unibody with frame RAILS welded to it.
They usually stop under the rear seats but pick back up under the trunk area.
Old cars and trucks have aFULL frame that separates from the body. It is not welded!
This is where the confusion resides...
When I talkwith professionals, we say "frame rails", as opposed to simply "frame" if we're talking about a truck for exemple.
Class dismissed. Come back around 7 PM
.
Listen to what Pascal wrote in his explaination because everything he said about the damage and diminished value, is exactly what was explained to me; its very consistant to other stories Ive heard too. Pascal is just very direct when he speaks!! lol (and we luv ya for it too
)
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2nd Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 227
From: Donelson, TN
RE: wrecked
I hope you are ok.....And yeahi have to agree it looks totaled, possibly too much unibody damage to even try to fix....Not to mention the driveline damage from the rearaxle being shoved forward......Hopefully things will get cleared up fast and you can be out driving with the top down soon. 