My Truck Rear Ended - Pics

[5150]

Everybody calm down this is getting out of hand. FirstGen probably doesn't need any of our advice on how to get retribution. I'm sure he will get what is coming to him and if he doesn't it doesn't sound like he'll take it lying down. I work a lot of wrecks on I-65 North and in town and I agree most are because of people not paying attention. Same reason people get speeding tix-not focusing on their driving or the 35 mph sign they just passed.

Sorry for your loss. As a fellow owner of a stepper I'm disturbed by the pics. Not to ruffle anybody's feathers, but I always thought between you and Tim Christian you guys had the nicest steppers on the board.

[knsmodels]

That sucks......Glad to hear you are ok and no one was seriously injured....as has been said material things are replacable.......still sucks though....

[Captkaos]

That sucks FirstGen. My brothers 2000 Silverado with the STS system that I mentioned previously got smacked yesterday by a 90 year old man with no insurance.

[clay68c10]

Ouch, I hate to see one hit like that. From personal experience, if you can show reciepts for stuff you bought you stand a good chance of coming out ok for the $$ invested. I totaled my old truck and had no real problems once I showed proof that I had spent the money I claimed. Keeping reciepts also helps if you decide to sell.

[Zonaman]

Ouch! Just got done with my little insurance oddessy- over $7,000.00 in damges! Hope there's not a frame swap in your future! But life goes on things get better.

[shifty]

Originally Posted by Jim_PA

No, but I don't have to like your attitude towards something. Sorry for not liking what I read.

Hopefully the 2 times the wreck was your fault, you got the S sued out of you?

Actually, in both wrecks damage was minimal and happened at less than 10mph. No vehicles were totalled, nobody was injured. That's more than I can say for the other 4 that happened to me, 2 of which were really bad, permanent injuries, totalled cars, people not paying attn.

You don't hafta like what I say. But just because you don't, doesn't give you the right to insult me publicly. PM me about it next time, ask me why I'm saying it...give me your viewpoint. That's how opinions are made and changed.

If you want to continue carrying on, can we take it to PM so we're not hijacking someone else's thread?

[matthufham]

wow, if that happened to me, i'd be more hurt than a rape victim. my truck is my life, and i couldn't imagine it being gone in a snap. your truck was way better than mine will ever be, i have tons of your pics on my hardrive and your z06 video was proof that you have a kick ass truck. i hope you get enough money to buy a new 67-72 and make it better with some existing parts you have, and with this trucks experiences. good luck with it all

[Jim_PA]

Originally Posted by shifty

Actually, in both wrecks damage was minimal and happened at less than 10mph. No vehicles were totalled, nobody was injured. That's more than I can say for the other 4 that happened to me, 2 of which were really bad, permanent injuries, totalled cars, people not paying attn.

You don't hafta like what I say. But just because you don't, doesn't give you the right to insult me publicly. PM me about it next time, ask me why I'm saying it...give me your viewpoint. That's how opinions are made and changed.

If you want to continue carrying on, can we take it to PM so we're not hijacking someone else's thread?

I'm not the one carrying on, and if you're going to start throwing mud, I'm not just all of a sudden taking it privately. So far I'm childish, rude, disrespectul, and I've publicly insulted you. None of which I've done. Sorry I don't agree with you.

[5150]

I guess you guys aren't going to take my advice. If I was FirstGen I would have unsubscribed from this thread.

Still sorry for your loss (if you're still reading this)

[turbojunker]

Originally Posted by Captkaos

That sucks FirstGen. My brothers 2000 Silverado with the STS system that I mentioned previously got smacked yesterday by a 90 year old man with no insurance.

I read about it on a local board. That sucks.

[72CSTC5]

First Gen sorry for your loss. I am a bodyshop manager and have been for 12 years so I have handled and been involved in negotiations with several wrecks. Be careful. The state minimums in Texas are very low. They really need to do something about it. However, if what you are going to seek is 26,000.00 which I agree or more, than you should be okay. The state minimums on medical is 25,000 per person per occurence. I know, my friend that worked for me and rode motorcylcles with is stuck with over 100,000.00 in medical bills and the insurance will only pay him 25 thousand of which with the money he has to pay medical bills. Hospital has already put a lien against him so no money for him and has been out of work for 7 months. Pay to have your truck professionally appraised at the value you are seeking before the insurance comes out to look at the vehicle. Try to write up an invoice of all the motor work and labor alone that you have done recently. Good luck and if you need any advice look me up. Glad to hear you are okay too but get checked out professionally as well.

[FirstGen]

Thanks for all the kind words and advise. I do have one question I would like to know for sure, the adjuster and a body shop I stopped by talked about replacing the back cab panel on my truck. I absolutly DO NOT want them to do that. Anytime I have seen or had a panel sectioned in on a body the spot welded seam where they apply filler or glaze or whatever always cracks. Do I legally have the right to demand that they replace the entire cab then or am I just screwed into letting them replace the back of the cab if it comes to that?

Just as a funny note, the insurance adjuster also wrote up a $2900 estimate. LOL.

[shifty]

In most states, you have the right to demand that the truck is returned to the condition it was in previously and it should be able to be appraised at the exact same value as prior to the wreck. Your only certain saving grace would be going with a body shop that gaurantees its work for a couple of years. I'm sure if you had a lawyer, part of your stipulation could be cab replacement.

[MrC1]

Just wanted to note that my comments were aimed at frivilous lawsuits and running up the tab for no reason other than to "make them pay" (revenge). I truly hope you get everything that's coming to you, even though it could never be enough to offset the emotional loss. That's the part that bites.

I agree with teh comments about how insurance companies always try to screw everyone out of a fair settlement. It's true 99.999% of the time. That's sad as well, but it's no reason to sue for more than a reasonable amount.

Going to a chiropractor to run up the bill pretending to have an injury just isn't honest, ethical or legal. It's just wrong. If you need a trip or two to prove to the ins agency that you really are injured, so be it.

Hope it all works out in the end!

[shifty]

Originally Posted by MrC1

Going to a chiropractor to run up the bill pretending to have an injury just isn't honest, ethical or legal. It's just wrong. If you need a trip or two to prove to the ins agency that you really are injured, so be it.

Still on the topic of wrecks...

I studied and practiced massage therapy for 2 years before getting into my current career (of 7 years). don't ask how, it just happened...and I went to one of the best schools in the country (FL School of Massage).

I can tell you firsthand that soft tissue damage and connective tissue damage often doesn't show immediately after a car wreck or even the first few weeks or months after. With no reportable injuries or discomfort, most people don't go. The insurance company will tell you "oh, a little stiffness and soreness is expected", and most of the time they will encourage you "not to worry" in hopes that you don't go in and have xrays done once the swelling and stiffness goes away.

I didn't bother, and every time the weather was about to change it wreaked havoc on me. This was true until I went to massage school, got a massage every day for 6 months from experts, swapped massage sessions for chiropractic work (holistic..not the crunch-crack-crunch people) and got straightened out. I don't have any of those problems anymore.

If you've been in a couple of rolled cars, head-on or speed rear-end wrecks more than 5 years ago, you might know what I'm talking about with the pain stuff coming on later in life. it took ~7-8 years before things started becoming obvious. The lady I was seeing to straighten my back said it could have been prevented (all of my suffering) if I'd have just went in to be checked out by a reputable chiropractor. This late in the game, there's nothing I can do. I just wish I hadn't paid $6k in tuition costs to get help

I still have a ripped muscle in my back and tendonitis in my shoulder from wrecks, that's all I can complain about. It wasn't too overbearing until I aggravated it working for a groumet catering company in Orlando when I was in my early 20's. That's another one - a good massage therapist and some time with a physical therapist could have fixed it, but I shrugged it off. It's only gotten worse. I had no insurance and $2k-$4k in massage/doctor visits could have made that problem nonexistant. Here I am almost 15 years later and I have sharp, burning pain in the top right hand side of my back if I lift anything wrong. Always the same spot. Always the same cause. No way to fix it without major surgery, stuck with it forever.

And it would not be there if I had just listened when someone told me, "dude, get a lawyer". I was pigheaded and thought that lawyers are scum, too many people sue other people and I didn't want to be one of those "sue-happy people". Now I feel like an idiot because of my ignorance and each and every day I hafta rethink my activities to try and keep from aggravating my back again....

Personally, I wish I would have been more cautious, listened to people who told me to get a lawyer. When I say anything I've said in here, it's not me trying to argue or belittle anyone, be condescending or even say that firvilously suing people is right, it's me trying to say, "Man - look - learn from my mistake Stop buying into crap about how suing people is bad (you're not suing them - you're suing their insurance company) and get yourself taken care of. Go out and have checkups done and make them pay for it. I was stupid and naive...Don't be like me".

And make sure you get the full value of your loss, including any labor hit you're going to take, because they won't pay for that. Itemize your time spent on your project, the money and man hours you dropped into it (including custom fabs for things like driveshafts, etc that are torn up ) and stick them with the bill.

You see that? $2900 is what they offered him. His cab and interior are worth that alone. Hell, his tranny and engine are worth twice that. This shows you how shady insurance companies are. Who's gonna get stuck, you or them?

[Captkaos]

Originally Posted by turbojunker

I read about it on a local board. That sucks.

Which board? Bham Racing?

[turbojunker]

Yeah, now it's Alabama Racing Scene or something like that.

[Zumo]

Wow. Just found this thread and FirstGen sorry about your truck. Seemed like you were just getting it were you wanted it.

[FirstGen]

Yeah I was, now can you photochop my new ride for me

[Captkaos]

Hahahahahah, nice FirstGen....

Have you heard anything new on the situation?

[FirstGen]

Originally Posted by Captkaos

Hahahahahah, nice FirstGen....

Have you heard anything new on the situation?

Not a damn thing. Insurance is sooo slow. They basically totaled it and are trying to determine the actual value of the truck. They hired an external company to research it. Last thing I heard, yesterday the said the value of the truck was worth $4K. I almost threw the damn phone. The adjuster said she knew the truck was worth much more than that and she was going to sit down with the appraiser and look at all the reciepts (I made copies and it took 87 sheets of paper).

My body shop wrote a preliminary estimate for $11,543 which included the estimate the insurance origionally made for 3,080. Brings the priliminary estimate to around $15K to fix. This didn't account for any machanical work.

Worst case is that I'll get $15K and have to swap everything over to a new truck. Hell that's what I'll probably do reguardless of what they give me or not.

I didn't realize how much the like to bend people over...

[mclairmo]

I don't like to tell anybody this if I can avoid it, but I am an attorney here in San Diego. Without an attorney, you will likely receive far less than you are entitled to. It seems the insurance company already is trying to cheat you and they will continue to do so since they know you are not represented by counsel. I'm sure you can find an attorney to take your case on contingency (you pay nothing up front) and when the case is settled (which 99% do), the attorney takes a cut, usually 1/3, but you can bargain for a smaller share to the attorney. However, an attorney can you get more than enough to cover his share and still get you a better result overall. Just find a reputable and honest one (is that an oxymoron?). Check your state bar for referrals for personal injury attorneys. I know dealing with an attorney sucks. Trust me, I deal with them everyday and it's no fun, but our legal system is designed for attorneys. If you are not an attorney, you will be at a great disadvantage and that insurance company may never pay out. Just give one a call. Most will gladly talk to you over the phone and give you a feel for your legal rights and the potential settlement value of your case. Good Luck and I'm sorry for your loss. Thank God you are ok, though.

[71SWBChevy]

Man that sucks, when I wrecked the Monte it was completely pissed and it was completely my fault, I know that car wasn't worth 1/4 of what your truck is and I felt like I had lost a family member. Some people always try and say its just a car it can be replaced. The truth is any car that you have put your blood sweat tears and hard earned money into can not be replaced, you can substitute another vehicle for it but it will NEVER by your truck again, no matter how close it is to being a copy of your old truck. I can't believe the way some people blow off damaging peoples stuff as nothing, I probably would have been *****ing that woman out until the cops got there and separted us. Don't tell me "Its just a car it can be replaced" it can be substituted, never replaced.

Again man sorry about the loss, I hope the insurance company gives you what it is worth at least, you won't have your truck back but at least you'll get the money you are entitled to so that you can build another.

[FirstGen]

Originally Posted by mclairmo

I don't like to tell anybody this if I can avoid it, but I am an attorney here in San Diego. Without an attorney, you will likely receive far less than you are entitled to. It seems the insurance company already is trying to cheat you and they will continue to do so since they know you are not represented by counsel. I'm sure you can find an attorney to take your case on contingency (you pay nothing up front) and when the case is settled (which 99% do), the attorney takes a cut, usually 1/3, but you can bargain for a smaller share to the attorney. However, an attorney can you get more than enough to cover his share and still get you a better result overall. Just find a reputable and honest one (is that an oxymoron?). Check your state bar for referrals for personal injury attorneys. I know dealing with an attorney sucks. Trust me, I deal with them everyday and it's no fun, but our legal system is designed for attorneys. If you are not an attorney, you will be at a great disadvantage and that insurance company may never pay out. Just give one a call. Most will gladly talk to you over the phone and give you a feel for your legal rights and the potential settlement value of your case. Good Luck and I'm sorry for your loss. Thank God you are ok, though.

I hope I dont have to do that, if I don't like the real number they offer I think I will have to do that...

[Chrome8]

FirstGen, I was rearended a while back. Don't let the insurance company intimidate you. Let them know that you would like a "classic auto and restoration adjuster" kindof like a specialist. They should have one. Take that thing into the nearest GM or Chev garage you can find and have them pick it apart and find every little thing that's damaged mechanically. When i was rearended, my headers even got pushed forward into the grease zerts on the lower control arms and they paid me for replacement headers, among other things.... The body man that wrote the estimate is a friend of ours and he wrote a realistic estimate, he didn't want to get too carried away as to make it suspicious. They sent an adjuster that just looks at classics and customs down to look at the truck and we put it up on the hoist.....comes into my office and says that the estimate from the body shop wasn't high enough to fix it! I couldn't believe it. They wanted me to drop it off at the body shop and they would settle up when its all done but i took a higher amount in the form of a check instead. I had to sign a form that stated that they were settled on the case, just incase i found more damage while performing the work. There are good insurance companies out there. You can get what you've got coming to you, and usually more than it's worth. Try to make em feel comfortable, take it to a shop that they work with alot, and request the classic car adjuster, he'll feel your pain, trust me!! The guy that looked at mine damn near made me an offer on it! A seperate Mechanical estimate is a key too. This is just my experience. I hate to see that truck get wrecked man, i really liked it and i'm planning a 6.0l swap/build in the near future.........I hope you come out of the deal ok, glad to hear you're still in one piece.


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