Wreck Today...What do I do now?
04-21-2010, 09:24 PM
#1
5th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: NC
Posts: 2,217
Wreck Today...What do I do now?
So, I got in a wreck today. I was trying to turn left at a light with no lead green. I pulled out into the intersection and waited. The stream was steady and the light turned yellow, so I waited for the oncoming cars to slow down noticeably. They did, so since I was in the intersection I turned. Well, a BMW coming the other direction decided, after slowing down, that it would be fine, and gunned it. He hit my front quarter panel going what the wrecker said was about 45 (speed limit 35). The entire front end of the car is in shambles. Bumper was half off, front grills out, light shattered, other light out of place. Even the door on my driver side was messed up at the hinges. Me and the police officer had to work to get it open so I could get out.
Well, on to the bad part, as if its not already bad enough...the other guy, obviously, told the cop that the light was yellow. I told him that it was red. A guy came out of a shop on the side of the road and said he saw what happened, and the light was red to his knowledge. But, the cop said that since the guy was inside, and didn't have "a clear view" of the wreck, that his testimony wasn't enough to conclude anything and that, since none of the cars that were next to or behind the other guy stopped to testify, there was no sufficient evidence to say the light was indeed red. Therefore, I am at fault by default.
So, I am 18 years old, and this isn't going to go over with insurance premiums, but thats beside the point.
My question is, what do I do now? The insurance company is called and is going to go out and assess the damage. My company is USAA. Once they do that, assuming its not totalled (the guy at the wrecker said it wasn't near as bad as it looked), what do I do? The wrecker said that the insurance company will tell me to go to somewhere like True 2 Form, and that they will do a good job, but if I want to work with someone, and get it done how I want it, I need to go to a custom shop (he recommended a local one).
How will this go over with insurance?
Also, is there any chance of me getting some mods out of this? I assume my chances would be better if I wasn't found at fault. I've wanted to do some stuff such as a C-Series Front End, and I figured that if the car isn't totalled I'd need a new front end completely anyways...what are the chances of this? I assume I'd have to put some money into the ordeal to get that worked out? What would the difference run me?
I guess this all hinges on the insurance companies assessment now. It's a V6, so it wouldn't be good if they decide to scrap it...I don't have the money to get a new Mustang at current values (KBB). I guess I just wanted some advice, some reassurance, something to ease my mind and prepare me for the upcoming process.
Oh, I'm fine. Neck and back a little sore but the Mustang handled the blow extremely well for me.
It's a stock V6. The only things I've done with it are Shelby CS40 Blacks and an aftermarket Double-DIN DVD Head Unit. I was a little scared when I took the CD out of the radio at the wreckyard because the screen wouldn't close back up, it tried but it wouldn't go all the way. This leads me to believe that the opening collapsed a little bit so that the screen wouldn't fit back up in there...
I'm just scared. Not for myself, but for the car...I loved that car and I don't know what is going to happen now...
I wish I had pictures but I don't. Maybe I'll get to run by there soon...we'll see.
I appreciate all the responses to come. This forum means a lot to me.
-HT
Well, on to the bad part, as if its not already bad enough...the other guy, obviously, told the cop that the light was yellow. I told him that it was red. A guy came out of a shop on the side of the road and said he saw what happened, and the light was red to his knowledge. But, the cop said that since the guy was inside, and didn't have "a clear view" of the wreck, that his testimony wasn't enough to conclude anything and that, since none of the cars that were next to or behind the other guy stopped to testify, there was no sufficient evidence to say the light was indeed red. Therefore, I am at fault by default.
So, I am 18 years old, and this isn't going to go over with insurance premiums, but thats beside the point.
My question is, what do I do now? The insurance company is called and is going to go out and assess the damage. My company is USAA. Once they do that, assuming its not totalled (the guy at the wrecker said it wasn't near as bad as it looked), what do I do? The wrecker said that the insurance company will tell me to go to somewhere like True 2 Form, and that they will do a good job, but if I want to work with someone, and get it done how I want it, I need to go to a custom shop (he recommended a local one).
How will this go over with insurance?
Also, is there any chance of me getting some mods out of this? I assume my chances would be better if I wasn't found at fault. I've wanted to do some stuff such as a C-Series Front End, and I figured that if the car isn't totalled I'd need a new front end completely anyways...what are the chances of this? I assume I'd have to put some money into the ordeal to get that worked out? What would the difference run me?
I guess this all hinges on the insurance companies assessment now. It's a V6, so it wouldn't be good if they decide to scrap it...I don't have the money to get a new Mustang at current values (KBB). I guess I just wanted some advice, some reassurance, something to ease my mind and prepare me for the upcoming process.
Oh, I'm fine. Neck and back a little sore but the Mustang handled the blow extremely well for me.
It's a stock V6. The only things I've done with it are Shelby CS40 Blacks and an aftermarket Double-DIN DVD Head Unit. I was a little scared when I took the CD out of the radio at the wreckyard because the screen wouldn't close back up, it tried but it wouldn't go all the way. This leads me to believe that the opening collapsed a little bit so that the screen wouldn't fit back up in there...
I'm just scared. Not for myself, but for the car...I loved that car and I don't know what is going to happen now...
I wish I had pictures but I don't. Maybe I'll get to run by there soon...we'll see.
I appreciate all the responses to come. This forum means a lot to me.
-HT
04-21-2010, 10:32 PM
#3
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: IL
Posts: 128
Thats awful, but glad you're ok.
Insurance...as I am also dealing with a rear end hit n run driver. My insurance has their shops appraise the damage and I can go to their recommended shops or my own. So I chose my own. I had deductible to pay and the car is in the shop as we speak <sat all winter in storage>
You need to know if your repairs will be FORD OEM parts or generic parts.
Modding....if you have the extra money and the shop puts the car back together good. You just pay the difference. It should work like that
Insurance...as I am also dealing with a rear end hit n run driver. My insurance has their shops appraise the damage and I can go to their recommended shops or my own. So I chose my own. I had deductible to pay and the car is in the shop as we speak <sat all winter in storage>
You need to know if your repairs will be FORD OEM parts or generic parts.
Modding....if you have the extra money and the shop puts the car back together good. You just pay the difference. It should work like that
04-21-2010, 11:04 PM
#5
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: IL
Posts: 128
Its in the policy language, declarations. Call your claims rep and ask, it's no secret to them.
Then you'll know. You should have a claim number handy when you call. Hope that helps, but everyone should know how their policy repairs their vehicle.
Then you'll know. You should have a claim number handy when you call. Hope that helps, but everyone should know how their policy repairs their vehicle.
04-22-2010, 02:41 AM
#7
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: WA
Posts: 109
Sorry to hear about your stang, dude. The 'yellow light turn' seems innocent enough and lots of people do it. In the past I used to play chicken with oncoming traffic trying to beat the yellow as well. I feel my mortality more and more with each passing day and so now I wait at the solid white line. Safer this way with the added benefit of not pissing off the drivers trying to cross the intersection to my left and right. Good luck with your the car and your own recouperation. And if I'm not mistaken I hear the quiet keyboard patter of the curious frenchman who is never far from posts involving crashes and what to do in their aftermath.
04-22-2010, 06:36 AM
#8
sorry to hear about your accident
The only reassurance I can offer at this point is that you do have USAA insurance, which is a great thing. I have them too, and they'll make sure that your car is fixed properly, using OEM parts.
...and as ytix mentioned, I'm sure Pascal will be able to chime in on this subject and how you might be able to used this opportunity to make some upgrades.
good luck with everything!
The only reassurance I can offer at this point is that you do have USAA insurance, which is a great thing. I have them too, and they'll make sure that your car is fixed properly, using OEM parts.
...and as ytix mentioned, I'm sure Pascal will be able to chime in on this subject and how you might be able to used this opportunity to make some upgrades.
good luck with everything!
04-22-2010, 06:46 AM
#9
S197 Section Modder-ator
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Orlando FL
Posts: 13,373
If the car isn't totaled (pics would help), they will use aftermarket parts or used ones (Quality recycled parts they call them).
The car is too old now for new stuff, besides, that would total it for sure.
Sucks that the cop wasn't more help.
Good thing is, you're with USAA.
They're top notch and look after their policy holder.
Good luck.
The car is too old now for new stuff, besides, that would total it for sure.
Sucks that the cop wasn't more help.
Good thing is, you're with USAA.
They're top notch and look after their policy holder.
Good luck.
04-22-2010, 06:57 AM
#10
5th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: NC
Posts: 2,217
I'll try to get some pictures up. It's funny that as I stood there looking at it, I was envisioning some mods. This forum has really gotten to me haha.
So Pascal. How much more would I spend on a C-Series Front End than I would on the used Ford parts? I assume if its not totalled they will work out the door issues and the front quarters, and the hood and all the front parts (bumper grills, lights) will have to be replaced. And that is assuming there is no frame damage. The CD Player thing scares me, because since the motorized screen wouldn't go all the way in, it means that the opening must have compressed. I don't know how they could fix things like that...
So Pascal. How much more would I spend on a C-Series Front End than I would on the used Ford parts? I assume if its not totalled they will work out the door issues and the front quarters, and the hood and all the front parts (bumper grills, lights) will have to be replaced. And that is assuming there is no frame damage. The CD Player thing scares me, because since the motorized screen wouldn't go all the way in, it means that the opening must have compressed. I don't know how they could fix things like that...