My first car accident

[Anakah]

Awesome update! The guy restored my faith in humanity and turned himself in! YAY! I am happy now. Still sore but I will be okay. So atleast in the end he did the right thing. Good thing too cuz I saw the "estimate" on fixing my truck and he caused 3k worth of damage. I dunno if I still haveta pay my deductible but I'd rather pay 500 than the 3k. So, all is well--well it's better than it was.

[reimero]

Awesome update! The guy restored my faith in humanity and turned himself in! YAY! I am happy now. Still sore but I will be okay. So atleast in the end he did the right thing. Good thing too cuz I saw the "estimate" on fixing my truck and he caused 3k worth of damage. I dunno if I still haveta pay my deductible but I'd rather pay 500 than the 3k. So, all is well--well it's better than it was.

You'll likely have to pay the deductible initially while your insurance company handles things, but at the end of the day, the other guy was at fault and so his insurance company is actually the one that has to pay for your car repairs. Because of that, you should get your deductible reimbursed, it just might take awhile.

Remember, folks, auto insurance isn't to protect you if you get hit, it's to protect other people if you hit them! You'll only get yourself protected if you purchase more than state minimum liability coverage.

[Jetfire]

Keep all your paperwork up to date, and organized, and you will probably be able to sue for the deductible in small claims, if he *edit* or his insurance company *endedit* doesn't volunteer it up directly.

And definitly still see the Doc ASAP (and keep the bills, you may be able to sue for those as well and/or get them covered by insurance). Longer you wait the harder it would be to have those medical expenses covered. (Not a lawyer, I just watch a lot of People's court and Judge Judy. )

[Mikkel]

Great news, he was probably just as chocked as you. Not that it is any excuse, someone old enough to drive should be responsible enough to stop and help when he see, not to mention cause, an accident.

[Gonzo]

Not to change the subject or hyjack your thread but just be glad you where not riding a motorcycle. Too many stories of late of motorcycles getting hit from behind while stopped at a light. The thought scares me to death whenever I ride.

[Andara Bledin]

Since it was his fault, and he came forward to take responsibility, it will likely end up that you getting a medical checkup will get you a flat rate check from his insurance to cover that (All State gave me $500[!] just because I went to the doctor after their customer hit me).

How they handle the car portion of damages will vary, depending on the coverage, carrier, and what they determine as regards the car. In my case, my car got "totaled" so they sent me a check for the current blue book value of my car at the time, which was $2500. I had only paid $3000 for the car a few years prior, so I had no objection to the amount offered. They also gave me the option of keeping it and trying to get it repaired, but the $2500 was all they would give me for it, and we all knew the damage was easily beyond that total.

^-.-^

[Anakah]

My insurance told me that if his insurance deems it his fault, I shouldn't have to pay a cent. Which is good, I don't exactly have $500 lying around.

I think he was either high or drunk that night, sobered up and then turned himself in.

There's no way they won't see it as not being his fault. He smashed me at a RED light, RAN away missed the green light, ran a red and its on the police report that he is at fault.

I asked the cop if he was okay. He was. I wouldn't have been angry at the guy (who turned out to be two years OLDER than me--I initially thought he looked younger) if he had just stopped and exchanged insurance info, no I wasn't angry until he DITCHED me.

In the end things turned out okay. I really am fortunate that he actually got the guts to do what was right. I'll never know what got into him but I'm glad.

I cringe at that same stop light every night. I have to go through there every night and am more aware of my surroundings and cars around me.

[Whiskey]

high or drunk

It would completely explain why he wasn't hurt when he hit you.

[Bronzebow]

I hope everything checks out at the doc!

Don't let that feeling of guilt or shame get the better of you. It's natural to feel like you could have done something to prevent a traumatic experience like this, but like others have mentioned there was nothing you could have done. Be sure to keep your hands busy for the next few days and have some fun with your favorite foods/hobbies.

[Anakah]

Well its been OVER a month and my truck is still smashed. Apparently his insurance has been giving mine the run around and it feels like nothing is being done! I am waiting it out cuz I don't exactly have five hundred dollars just lying around. And its the only way to get a rental car too. I only have the one car. GRRR...

I can't tell if its MY insurance holding things up or his. I couldn't get a straight answer out of my claims rep for like ever. It took awhile for her to respond to the major questions I had.

Yeah, the doc took tons of xrays. I'm fine. No longer sore or anything. Just angry that my car is still messed up.

[Andara Bledin]

Who are the insurance carriers involved?

When I got run into, the other guy had All State, and they had a check out to me within two weeks, and gave me an extra weekend (three days) on the rental car because I had a convention to attend.

^-.-^

[Reyneth]

If you have collision coverage, see if there is someone you can borrow your deductible from if you don't have it and go through your insurance for the repairs. Then they'll subrogate the other guy's insurance to be reimbursed.

There is *no* reason for this to be dragging on so long. The vast majority of rear end losses are the fault of the people in the back. You were stopped, there were no other cars involved and you have witnesses! The only reason the other insurance should be delaying is if there are coverage issues or their customer is non-cooperative. If you get yours involved, they will force the matter through arbitration if necessary.

PS - glad you're feeling ok physically and they found the guy!

[Anakah]

Hey, its been TWO months and my car is still smashed. I don't know what the hold up is! Get this, I emailed my claims lady from my insurance asking her what I can do to speed the process up. I was then told to contact the other guy's insurance if I wanted my truck to get fixed and get a rental car! What I want to know is, what in the hell has MY insurance been doing!? And why did they wait this long to tell me I am supposed to talk to them to get the ball rolling!?

Why do I have to contact the other insurance? Isn't that my insurance's job? I have esurance. So I called and left a message with the hit and run guys insurance and will be contacted this tuesday. Why is this taking so long!?

I'm wondering if after this mess is over if I should change my car insurance. Geico messed around with me like this when I had them several years ago. Maybe I should go with allstate. *sigh* This is getting annoying.

[TheSHAD0W]

I'd start the ball rolling and contact an attorney if I were you. A letter from them to the insurer ought to get them moving.

[Sandman]

Anakah.. your insurance company is giving you the run around. No "reliable" insurance company should do that to you. I know when I was in my accident, I had the ball rolling that day, and had a call from the body shop the next to bring in my car. Even though it was totaled, my insurance helped me out totally and even told me what do to with the other insurance company (I wanted to have my rental completely covered, since it was the other person's fault, they paid their portion and my insurance company told me to go after them for the difference).