My truck was hit in my driveway

[LA350]

Drunk driver flying down our residential street passes his house, and failed to make the curve. He hit the storm drain, launched into the air, landed on the far curb of neighbor's driveway taking out 3ft section of curb/driveway, and mailbox. Due to our lot design, pie shape narrow at front and wide in the back, the car continued twisting airborn, Cop's description, landing w/ hood on my tailgate forcing 4ft my truck off the driveway into the yard, finally coming to rest against an oak tree.

Fortunately my wife's car was @ my son's house or else her car would have been totaled. My neighbor also excaped having his 2009 F250 destroyed as he had parked on the opposite side of the driveway on a fluke.

So my truck is pretty ugly. The left side outside wheel looks odd like it has been bent on the shaft. I called insurance co. and spoke to the driver's wife and got their contact info. The driver is in jail picking the glass out of his head. 7 cop cars, 3 firetrucks, and tow truck. Quite an event.

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edit: After looking at fairly calm happy that no one was seriously hurt the truck doesn't look real bad. Maybe a new axle and bed? Remember the fender was going to be replaced soon. Still waiting for the adjuster, I have to go the pick up the police report my neighbor said he had drugs in his system too and that he was a truck driver. He had a birthday party @ his house then left to go to Waffle House. The guy lived just up the block from me.

 

[EMD_DRIVER]

Just glad you or your family didn't get hurt!

 

[david85]

Unbelieveble. We recently had an incident just like this on the electric car forum.

Guy just finished putting together his converted EV, was using if as his DD and even had the local TV news channel look at it. In the middle of the night a drunk chick in a big SUV doing something like 70 MPH in a resitensial zone failed to make the turn and plowed into 4 vehicles that he had in his driveway. His EV was completely totaled, and two other cars were disabled.

From what he said, the cops had to hold him back from killing that stipid .......

Looking at the angle of the tire marks in the lawn leading up to the impact, his cars ended up saving the house an possibly lives of his neigbors.

Just a heads up, be careful what you post or say publicly about the value of your truck until the claim is settled. Insurance companies have very sensitive ears.....

 

[tractorman86]

man, sorry to hear it, i just hope the ins. company doesn't try too hard at screwing you. good luck and glad to hear noone was hurt but the drunk driver.

 

[sassyrel]

Drunk driver flying down our residential street passes his house, and failed to make the curve. He hit the storm drain, launched into the air, landed on the far curb of neighbor's driveway taking out 3ft section of curb/driveway, and mailbox. Due to our lot design, pie shape narrow at front and wide in the back, the car continued twisting airborn, Cop's description, landing w/ hood on my tailgate forcing 4ft my truck off the driveway into the yard, finally coming to rest against an oak tree.

Fortunately my wife's car was @ my son's house or else her car would have been totaled. My neighbor also excaped having his 2009 F250 destroyed as he had parked on the opposite side of the driveway on a fluke.

So my truck is pretty ugly. The left side outside wheel looks odd like it has been bent on the shaft. I called insurance co. and spoke to the driver's wife and got their contact info. The driver is in jail picking the glass out of his head. 7 cop cars, 3 firetrucks, and tow truck. Quite an event.

Pics coming.

did the cops isssue a ticket???--and i know hes in jail--which dont mean squat---as the ins co's love it when no ticket is issued---and id get estimates,open ended--from three co's that will blow it high--as the "ADJUSTER"!!!! from the ins co will try to gutter ball your estimates--open means if they find more damage when they tear into it----and DONT sign off till you are happy with the truck--i warned a friend of mine--he was glad he didnt sign--he fought that body shop for 6 months after--they finally got it straight!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Cat_Rebel]

That's crazy stuff, so what parts do you think you'll need to get her going again?

 

[towcat]

did the cops isssue a ticket???--and i know hes in jail--which dont mean squat---as the ins co's love it when no ticket is issued---and id get estimates,open ended--from three co's that will blow it high--as the "ADJUSTER"!!!! from the ins co will try to gutter ball your estimates--open means if they find more damage when they tear into it----and DONT sign off till you are happy with the truck--i warned a friend of mine--he was glad he didnt sign--he fought that body shop for 6 months after--they finally got it straight!!!!!!!!!!!

actually in the case of our trucks, he's going to be having fun keeping the ins company from totaling the truck and taking it away from him. there isn't a whole lot of book value before they kill a IDI.

 

[Andylad13]

I never understood why they took away the vehicle, and you have to buy it back. its my ****ing truck, already paid, and now i have to pay you to get it back, after i pay you every month to insure it!?!?!??!?!!

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Andy, I think it has to do with the amount of insurance coverage - like, if you have full coverage, or anything that actually covers vehicle damage, they will access the damage and if they decide to total your truck they first pay you something and then take it away, if you sign on that of course. Bottom line, untill they get your signature, they cannot touch your truck. What many people do is get the settlement money, then buy the truck back from the insurance cartel, usually for way less than what they just got for it, so they end up back with their truck but they also have money to fix it. The whole thing is that to fix one of these trucks at a legit shop it don't cost much less than fixing one of the new trucks, and since the KBB value of our trucks is so low the insurance cartel don't consider them worthy of fixing.

Now, in my case, I only have a supped-up basic coverage, great medical coverage so in case I get into an accident the insurance cartel is supposed to cover both hospital bills and loss of income during hospital stay, but they will not pay anything for the truck - reason for this is that the medical upgrade is only a few bucks over minimum premium, whereas truck coverage about doubles it, and in perspective I can fix my truck for cheaper and faster, besides being unemployed I only drive it like once a week to the grocery store...

 

[Devilish]

Insurance companies suck! The states let them play us from both ends. They assess the damage and do a vehicle appraisal at the same time. If the ins company estimates the damage to a vehicle to be over 55% of appraised value then it's totaled. Many times this leaves victims without a car and still owing to their bank. Now if you agree to their monetary then they tell you what buy back is. This is where I think they get over on the consumer. Say the rig is worth 5k, damage is 4.5k, and buy back is 1.5k. Unless you can to your own work the quality body shops won't fix your rig right for the difference. Also a prior salvage is worth 30-40% less than it did before the accident because of the salvage branding that is recorded with dmv.
The ins company basically tells you what they think they will get for it as salvage(plus a little bit). If you plan to buy it back then it's up to you to call around and find out what the salvage guys will pay for it. Keep a list with business name, person contacted, and phone #. Tell them they should what they will pay out in expenses for storage, tow, doc fees and auction house fees.
I've negotiated buy back to half because I used to get salvage pool results from business friends which of course also pissed off the ins reps.

 

[discbrks]

Drunk driver flying down our residential street passes his house, and failed to make the curve. He hit the storm drain, launched into the air, landed on the far curb of neighbor's driveway taking out 3ft section of curb/driveway, and mailbox. Due to our lot design, pie shape narrow at front and wide in the back, the car continued twisting airborn, Cop's description, landing w/ hood on my tailgate forcing 4ft my truck off the driveway into the yard, finally coming to rest against an oak tree.

Fortunately my wife's car was @ my son's house or else her car would have been totaled. My neighbor also excaped having his 2009 F250 destroyed as he had parked on the opposite side of the driveway on a fluke.

So my truck is pretty ugly. The left side outside wheel looks odd like it has been bent on the shaft. I called insurance co. and spoke to the driver's wife and got their contact info. The driver is in jail picking the glass out of his head. 7 cop cars, 3 firetrucks, and tow truck. Quite an event.

Pics coming.

I manage a body shop and deal with insurance companies on a daily basis. Your experience in this really depends on what insurance company the other driver has. If its some "e-surance" or "direct general", then you're in for a rough ride. On the other hand if its State Farm or Liberty Mutual, you might be o.k. Someone asked if a ticket was issued? That's very important - but in this case if he hit a stationary object, and the police report shows that, then the ins. company should have no problem accepting liability. And keep in mind - if they DO have a sub-standard ins. company that's giving you the run around, you can ALWAYS file a claim with your ins. company (if you have coverage) and your ins. company will fix the truck. You'll have to pay the deductible to the shop, but then your ins. company will go after the other & get all the money back - including your deductible.
It can get real complicated real fast. Word to the wise.... NEVER throw out the "lawyer" word to then right off the bat.... they will hang up & you're done. No lawyer that you & I can afford makes as much as the staff lawyer at the ins. company.
Someone suggested going out & getting your own 3 estimates. I hate to sound negative, but that will do nothing but waste your time. If the ins. company has their own adjusters, then you could have 50 estimates and the ONLY one that matters is what THAT adjuster writes.
If you have any questions, give me a call. I'll be glad to help. Like I said, I do this for a living. What ins. company do the other guy have?

 

[sassyrel]

disc--the person i bought my shop from repairs cars for a living--the reason for the estimates--is after he gets the three, he takes the two highest--the ins cos gts them--so they aint pulling no lowball stunt--been down that road myself some years ago--also--if those shops know what the truck is worth on the street--not by book--hes a leg up--case in point is what tdi vw's were worth when fuel prices were nuts--and if hes done additions to his truck--he needs those estimated also--his own co wouldnt pay for those--but since the other guy hit it--they SHOULD----unless he had peripheals insured

 

[HammerDown]

actually in the case of our trucks, he's going to be having fun keeping the ins company from totaling the truck and taking it away from him. there isn't a whole lot of book value before they kill a IDI.

Yep, the Ins Co will most likely total it out, that's what they tried to do to mine 10 years ago when some kids vandalized the paint.
My Ins Co (***** fu*ks) could care less I had full coverage on the truck since day one and it was in mint condition...I fought tooth and nail to get them to pay for a complete repaint.

 

[Agnem]

Call your lawyer right now. Your *** life just isn't going to be the same due to the stress this A-hole caused. Trust me on this. Your going to have to do that in order for it to be made right.

 

[discbrks]

disc--the person i bought my shop from repairs cars for a living--the reason for the estimates--is after he gets the three, he takes the two highest--the ins cos gts them--so they aint pulling no lowball stunt--been down that road myself some years ago--also--if those shops know what the truck is worth on the street--not by book--hes a leg up--case in point is what tdi vw's were worth when fuel prices were nuts--and if hes done additions to his truck--he needs those estimated also--his own co wouldnt pay for those--but since the other guy hit it--they SHOULD----unless he had peripheals insured

I agree that the ins. company might lowball the estimate... but think about this. Insurance company writes an estimate for (an example) $1300.00. Let's say that his truck will NOT total with $1300.00 worth of damage. Then he goes to Bob's Auto & Paint and get an estimate for $3200.00 - and maybe Bob is a lot more accurate in his esimate, but the truck will total with $3200.00 of damage. So if the adjuster writes the low-ball estimate, the shop starts repairs KNOWING that there's more damage, and calls the adjuster back when they are deep into repairs, now the adjuster is committed to finish fixing the truck. I see it everyday. In georgia, most ins. companies will fix up to 80% of the vehicle's value... not sure what the rules are in Alabama. The key is to get the truck in a QUALITY repair shop, not a "we'll save your deductible" kinda shop.
I know a lot of the adjusters around here, and probably know the one that's gonna come to Dothan & write the estimate. Sometimes you can also work with them if you wanna save the truck.
I think pics would really help out.