well, my tuck got hit....I'm still in shock. she went from this:



to this:



I watched the whole thing happen. I was parked behind the truck on the street in my parts runner. she was behind me. pulled out to fast in a sandy section with a rear wheel drive car. lost control and went right into the side.



not really sure what to do at this point.

 

more pictures of the damage

 

123456

 

thats fixable, even if it has to be sectioned. you got luckier than old copper did. I would have politely asked her to pay for the repair (is only fair)

what did it do to the mercedes?

 

merc .... it's way more f-ed up than the picture shows.

 

I'd definately push for restitutions. the ole girl held up pretty well considering though.

 

I have her insurance, She was cited by the police, but she wants to pay out of pocket. I'm willing to work with her so I think we will go that route. I just don't want insurance to total it.

 

i could fix that... and her insurance company should take care of the costs. don't let them write it off. at very least take it to body shop of your choice and get a written estimate for complete repair costs. then see what they say. its not that bad. even take a cash settlement and fix it yourself,if you feel your up for the task. good luck.

 

so long as she sticks to her word, i like seeing honest people that try to make amends for mistakes. besides, you have before and after pics if she doesn't!

sure looks like the ford showed the mercedes up though!!!

 

Your second pic shows me why she wants to settle out of pocket. By looking this isnt the first accident that Mercedes has been in. First note the rear door has a dent, second and this could just be camera etc but it doesn't look like the rear fender color matches the door adn front fender exactly.

 

The insurance company's claims man told me what to do. :)
He was on the "other" side and told me anyway. LOL :)
He could see I was getting screwed over and didn't like it.

------------------------

Get it appraised and that's money well spent, you'll get that money back and
then some. Gather all your receipts, they are like green backs at this point.
It's all "hear say" without those.

Didn't save your receipts? Ooops. ;)

It ain't "worth" any more than the insurance company sez it is, without proof. ;)

Alvin in AZ

 

I talked to a body shop estimator/owner and he told me about the same thing.
Pretty much as long as I don't roll over for them. I'll be okay. My private appraiser is coming Monday, I've got recites from day 1 of ownership. Nada price guides value the truck at about 7,500 dollars. Damage seems to be between 3-4 thousand dollars. I'm sure they will offer my 2,000 or so. At that point I come back with my value of the vehicle and we work from there. It feel it would be in their best interest to cut a check to fix the damage. As I plan to take up a lot of their company time The insurance companies sole concern is their customer and getting rid of me for the cheapest amount possible. They think if they can wear me down, I will settle. Little do they Know I am self employed and entering the slow season. I plan to be their worst nightmare. I will call and e-mail them twice daily, until this is resolved in my favor. I will not let them total the truck. It is within my rights to not let them do that. If the insurance company doesn't want to play ball, I file suit against the person that hit me. At that point they aren't protecting the best interest of the client and I pretty much have them by the nuts....thanks god my aunts a lawyer.

I have talked to the girls parents and they are going to try and settle out of pocket.

 

that doesnt look like too expensive of a fix. 2500? make sure the appraisor does it before the damage and why. my parents had a car appraised (paid a pro) and when the ins co asked why it was worth that much he just said he didnt know.

 

To be safe I would get a couple of estimates from reputable repair shops just as a back up. Better to have a few to show you are serious. I got in a similar situation. Because I had a few different appraisals made my case stronger and the judge went with the value of the middle appraisal. i made out and felt the other person got just as fair a deal and the car got fixed to my standards.

 

I have played this Rope-A-Dope game before, and in the past life lessons learned have learned this.

Always get a police report no matter how cheap of a fix some may think. It seems you have done this as she was cited. Worst case if for some reason you get screwed you still get the person the ticket.

The whole out of pocket always seems like a good idea! To the person that hit you. They think "ok, that vehicle can't be that exspensive for parts. Couple hundred he'll go away". Then reality hits.\

I had this happen, with my VW. I was at my Auto insurance company paying my priemium. It was 5:30 and dark (Winter). I parked under the parking lot light. I'm paying my priemium and one of the gals there was in a hurry to leave and bailing. As I was writing my check for payment the office gals were all Saying goodbye to her and telling her to get out of there.

Here is the irony, not a couple seconds later my car alarm goes off, i was like WTF! Step away from the counter, prop the door open look to see a honda parked about 4 feet from the front of my car and that same gal stending between the rear of her cand the front of mine. She says "I didn't even see it" I was like awwww."

So she all gives me this song and dance saying "I'll pay out of pocket". Proceed to tell her that is going to cost you, cause I will not accept a bondo job. new sheet metal and bumper skin. Which I knew the price on OEM body parts and proceed to tell her for the Bumper skin alone is $1000 and a New Fender is $450. that is no larbor or paint cost.

After I gave her the numbers she states "Um, I changed my mind and am going to go through my insurance company" Which wasn't the one she worked for ?????? Yeah, I got hosed in the deal. Fought with her company. I still ended up getting screwed cause I didn't have the time to deal with her company.

Lesson two that I learned especially in your case, if the company want's to jerk your chain. Don't hesitate to get a lawyer, which sounds like you adleast have a good source for at least refferal for a lawyer with your aunt.