I Got T-boned Today

[Hootbro]

That sucks. Hopefully it gets sorted with minimal fuss.

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[steveorama]

Just got back from the repair shop this morning. I had to point out a lot to them to take pictures of. He didn't even see the bumper damage or the hood lifted up on the driver's side. At the moment he's thinking cosmetically, a new bumper, fender flare, wheel, tire, side step, and possibly the fender which could be pushing the hood up. Mechanically, he says they will send it to a mechanic who can do the work, but he's anticipating it could be a whole new front end suspension and axle wise. They will know more once they get it taken apart he said. He's estimating 2-3 weeks depending on parts.

He also asked I make him a list of the parts I've swapped out like the Rubicon front springs, shocks, LCAs, and the side steps so he can get them replaced with the like instead of what the VIN pulls up. This should be fun, the shop seems competent though and has good reviews.

 

[Max-t]

Yea American road design is absolutely the worst.

 

[Higher_Ground]

Cross your fingers you don't need a new frame, but if you do, call the Jeep Cares hotline to get it expedited to the repair shop. I got hit in a similar spot, but on the passenger side. I got a new frame, new axle, new wheel, new steering knuckle, new control arms, engine and body mounts, bumper parts and fog light.

Hopefully the supply chain issues have mellowed out..

 

[Carrotzilla]

6k truck vs 3k car. Mass always wins

 

[Minty JL]

Fuckin crash Stangs

 

[steveorama]

It's not a great update, but it's what I have at the moment.

It's been 10 days since I dropped off at the body shop and they're saying now it will be Monday before they finally have an estimate worked up on the damages. The mechanic shop apparently wasn't even able to look at it for almost a week and my advisor just got the info back today. I've been pestering him every few days so at least I finally got something new being told. He said it looks like it's going to be extensive damage to the front axle and other front end components. Not a lot of details from him on specific parts, but he said a new axle housing, steering knuckle, and control arms over the phone. I imagine the list will be longer when I get the estimate on Monday.

His current concern is part availability and trying to match the part list I gave him of what I swapped out like the Mopar 2" lift LCAs, Rubicon springs, the Eibach shocks, and the Go Rhino side step. He's not sure if insurance will agree to them or not since they don't match the VIN schematic or are aftermarket parts. So we'll still see what happens there.

To make matters worst, I spoke with the other driver's insurance today as they finally got a hold of him and it looks like this will most likely be an uninsured driver situation as the car wasn't his, and the owner of the car has apparently been dead for 4 years. So now I'll be on the hook for the deductible and unable to claim diminished value.

 

[Hootbro]

It's not a great update, but it's what I have at the moment.

It's been 10 days since I dropped off at the body shop and they're saying now it will be Monday before they finally have an estimate worked up on the damages. The mechanic shop apparently wasn't even able to look at it for almost a week and my advisor just got the info back today. I've been pestering him every few days so at least I finally got something new being told. He said it looks like it's going to be extensive damage to the front axle and other front end components. Not a lot of details from him on specific parts, but he said a new axle housing, steering knuckle, and control arms over the phone. I imagine the list will be longer when I get the estimate on Monday.

His current concern is part availability and trying to match the part list I gave him of what I swapped out like the Mopar 2" lift LCAs, Rubicon springs, the Eibach shocks, and the Go Rhino side step. He's not sure if insurance will agree to them or not since they don't match the VIN schematic or are aftermarket parts. So we'll still see what happens there.

To make matters worst, I spoke with the other driver's insurance today as they finally got a hold of him and it looks like this will most likely be an uninsured driver situation as the car wasn't his, and the owner of the car has apparently been dead for 4 years. So now I'll be on the hook for the deductible and unable to claim diminished value.

Was the kid in the Mustang a minor? The parents would still be on the hook anyways as responsible for it.

If the mustang owner has been dead for 4 years, was the Mustang currently registered with current plates and state inspection? If so, who was covering that with proof of insurance?

Are the kid and father undocumented? Having lived in Texas for close to 15 years, that was always a problem with police just letting that slide.

Wife was rear-ended (insert joke here) in Amarillo when we lived there and the guy was uninsured and a similar situation thinking he was going to skate under the guise of not getting blood from a turnip. We took him to small claims court in Texas which has a $20K max limit and wound up getting a $9K judgement against him. Took 5 years to collect as we eventually were able to get a lien against some property he owned and when he wanted to sell it, had to satisfy the judgement lien. So there is ways to make these deadbeat people pay if you want to play the long game.

 

[22EcoDs]

To make matters worst, I spoke with the other driver's insurance today as they finally got a hold of him and it looks like this will most likely be an uninsured driver situation as the car wasn't his, and the owner of the car has apparently been dead for 4 years. So now I'll be on the hook for the deductible and unable to claim diminished value.

People suck sometimes.

 

[steveorama]

Was the kid in a the Mustang a minor? The parents would still be on the hook anyways as responsible for it.

If the mustang owner has been dead for 4 years, was the Mustang currently registered with current plates and state inspection? If so, who was covering that with proof of insurance?

Are the kid and father undocumented? Having lived in Texas for close to 15 years, that was always a problem with police just letting that slide.

Wife was rear-ended (insert joke here) in Amarillo when we lived there and the guy was uninsured and a similar situation thinking he was going to skate under the guise of not getting blood from a turnip. We took him to small claims court in Texas which has a $20K max limit and wound up getting a $9K judgement against him. Took 5 years to collect as we eventually were able to get a lien against some property he owned and when he wanted to sell it, had to satisfy the judgement lien. So there is ways to make these deadbeat people pay if you want to play the long game.

He’s 21 so not a minor. The car status is weird, even the insurance advisor said the whole thing was weird and they were trying to get the story straight. Looking at the registration in the window from one of my pics, it was last registered 2/22 and expired 2/23 this year. It’s not something I caught at the time unfortunately. I’m surprised the cops didn’t cite him for it or maybe they did. I didn’t hang around to find out after I was done with my part as I was pissed at the time.

I have no idea on their legal status, but after everything is better sorted out I’ll have to explore the options. I’m not sure if he has anything of value or will ever have anything to even pursue. Right now it looks like I’ll just be out the deductible of $500 and whatever possibly the diminished value could have been potentially.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Was the kid in the Mustang a minor? The parents would still be on the hook anyways as responsible for it.

If the mustang owner has been dead for 4 years, was the Mustang currently registered with current plates and state inspection? If so, who was covering that with proof of insurance?

Are the kid and father undocumented? Having lived in Texas for close to 15 years, that was always a problem with police just letting that slide.

Wife was rear-ended (insert joke here) in Amarillo when we lived there and the guy was uninsured and a similar situation thinking he was going to skate under the guise of not getting blood from a turnip. We took him to small claims court in Texas which has a $20K max limit and wound up getting a $9K judgement against him. Took 5 years to collect as we eventually were able to get a lien against some property he owned and when he wanted to sell it, had to satisfy the judgement lien. So there is ways to make these deadbeat people pay if you want to play the long game.

The "kid" that killed my father was driving his father's car. It was insured, but minimally. And they didn't have a pot to piss in (documented, but..............not sure because the law in that town turns blind eyes in a lot of situations - it's the economy of the whole town)
So........ there was no one and nothing to go back on at all other than my father's own insurance and what little could be gotten out of their insurance.

Looking at the registration in the window from one of my pics, it was last registered 2/22 and expired 2/23 this year. It’s not something I caught at the time unfortunately. I’m surprised the cops didn’t cite him for it or maybe they did. I didn’t hang around to find out after I was done with my part as I was pissed at the time.

Don't look for the police to issue any citations for anything like that. It's how things are around here, anyway. When my brother was rear-ended, the guy that hit him from behind had no brakes in the car - the police let him drive it away while my brother's car (68 Javelin) had to be towed away. No citations!! Seriously.
And I saw an accident where the person who caused it had no insurance, no license, and the police let them drive away back home (later found out undocumented).
So don't count on the law to do much. They may, but I've seen a lot lately - first hand.
WHO TV here in Des Moines had a reporter in the Polk County courthouse and another outside with a camera. They communicated with each other and when someone in the courthouse lost their license, that was relayed to the reporter and camera guy outside in the parking lot where they tried to ask those people as they came out of court how they were going to get home now that they lost their license. The responses often had to be bleeped, but in every case, the person got back in their car and drove away. There it was, on video - nothing done.

 

[ZoMojave]

Our insurance system/laws are broken.

The thinking that some irresponsible drivers have is it is cheaper to not carry insurance. Then if they hit someone, the "other guys" insurance will cover it. The gamble to them is they will likely pay a fine and lose their vehicle in a total loss crash.

Unfortunately, too many take that gamble these days.

 

[Deleted member 57233]

We have a lot idiots driving around here with no plates, insurance, etc. because of the "sovereign citizen" and "gubmint bad" nonsense. The police don't seem to care. It's hard to get the cops to even come out to an accident, they usually just say "exchange insurance and sort it out" over the phone.

 

[Hootbro]

Our insurance system/laws are broken.

The thinking that some irresponsible drivers have is it is cheaper to not carry insurance. Then if they hit someone, the "other guys" insurance will cover it. The gamble to them is they will likely pay a fine and lose their vehicle in a total loss crash.

Unfortunately, too many take that gamble these days.

It is a problem with society at large that rewards many of those of lower economic means that makes them think rules and laws do not apply to them. Most times it is usually due to constant bad decision making of taking instant gratification than delaying it. We have the richest poor people here in the USA and usually they have vices like a $8 a day pack of cigarette habit and/or can afford a $4K sleeve tattoo over time that they always have money for but never the money for cheap $50-$75 ish a month basic liability insurance.

Between me and my wife, we have had three instances of dealing with uninsured motorist. When the third one happened, I had my fill and made it a point to pursue it through small claims court and get the judgement. Back then at least in Texas, a small claims civil court judgement is good for 10 years and you even go back and extend beyond that.

Once you have a civil court judgement, there is still means to pursue these people over time as their life is not always static and many times they will get into decent paying jobs and owning property you can then garnish and lien against. Takes a bit of reading up on ones state small claims court process but one can do a lot with it and never have a need of expensing out for a lawyer.

 

[Deleted member 57233]

We have the richest poor people here in the USA and usually they have vices like a $8 a day pack of cigarette habit and/or can afford a $4K sleeve tattoo over time that they always have money for but never the money for cheap $50-$75 ish a month basic liability insurance.

Having been poor in this country, I can tell you from experience the entire system is rigged to keep you poor and struggling. When you do get a little bit of money, you spend it on something to give you a brief glimpse of happiness, the crushing bills and responsibilities will still be there tomorrow.

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