Punk in a truck put my S4 on life support...
12-31-2007, 12:13 AM
#1
Racer
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Punk in a truck put my S4 on life support...
Hello folks,
Yes I know, just when you thought I had gone for good, right? I apologize to those whom I've annoyed so incessantly. You can accept my recent absence as proof that your disapproval has had it's desired effect. I suppose being called a Danglerb is enough to make any man start to question himself. At any rate I have a sad situation to report and I hope that someone with a similar experience can help me avoid any more pitfalls than I've already encountered.
Two days ago I was driving down a semi-residential road at 45mph when a young man in a Chevy truck ran a stop sign and caused me to hit his vehicle dead on my front to in his drivers side. I had an instant to slam on the brakes but I probably only managed to shave off 10mph before impact. No one was badly injured although my neck is appropriately stiff and sore. The police came and gave him a ticket. He was able to drive away with surprisingly little damage to his steel bodied truck while the front of my 89 S4 crumpled up neatly as I'm sure it was designed to do to protect me from whiplash. I will post pictures of the damage here shortly to give you all a better idea of what is ruined and what may still possibly be saved.
The turd at the wheel was uninsured, the truck he was piloting however belongs to a rather large swimming pool company which seems very interested in avoiding a law suit by offering me full restoration at any shop I wish. While I have yet to get a "professionals" opinion (I am looking for a body shop that has worked on 928's in the past), my question to you all is what are the systems/parts that I should insist the mechanics replace that might be overlooked by ignorance or thrift. I intend to be present for as much of the repair time as I can to assure that nothing is overlooked. While the front is disassembled obviously the belts and water-pump will be done and while their at it I'd like to replace the motor mounts and have the cam/manifold covers repainted. But I am still worried. While they seem eager to please me, I am still suspicious and I am wondering if my 928 can be brought back to the level of excellence with which it left the factory. I will upload pics soon. In the mean time please give me all the advice you can, and help me prevent another beautiful 928 from joining the scrap yard.
Yes I know, just when you thought I had gone for good, right? I apologize to those whom I've annoyed so incessantly. You can accept my recent absence as proof that your disapproval has had it's desired effect. I suppose being called a Danglerb is enough to make any man start to question himself. At any rate I have a sad situation to report and I hope that someone with a similar experience can help me avoid any more pitfalls than I've already encountered.
Two days ago I was driving down a semi-residential road at 45mph when a young man in a Chevy truck ran a stop sign and caused me to hit his vehicle dead on my front to in his drivers side. I had an instant to slam on the brakes but I probably only managed to shave off 10mph before impact. No one was badly injured although my neck is appropriately stiff and sore. The police came and gave him a ticket. He was able to drive away with surprisingly little damage to his steel bodied truck while the front of my 89 S4 crumpled up neatly as I'm sure it was designed to do to protect me from whiplash. I will post pictures of the damage here shortly to give you all a better idea of what is ruined and what may still possibly be saved.
The turd at the wheel was uninsured, the truck he was piloting however belongs to a rather large swimming pool company which seems very interested in avoiding a law suit by offering me full restoration at any shop I wish. While I have yet to get a "professionals" opinion (I am looking for a body shop that has worked on 928's in the past), my question to you all is what are the systems/parts that I should insist the mechanics replace that might be overlooked by ignorance or thrift. I intend to be present for as much of the repair time as I can to assure that nothing is overlooked. While the front is disassembled obviously the belts and water-pump will be done and while their at it I'd like to replace the motor mounts and have the cam/manifold covers repainted. But I am still worried. While they seem eager to please me, I am still suspicious and I am wondering if my 928 can be brought back to the level of excellence with which it left the factory. I will upload pics soon. In the mean time please give me all the advice you can, and help me prevent another beautiful 928 from joining the scrap yard.
12-31-2007, 12:29 AM
#2
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So you basically t-boned his truck at 35 mph??? that really sucks!!!!
I hit a taxi in my 924S who ran a stop also, and my car was totalled out.
If the car is owned by a company than surely it has insurance, so there you go...
good luck, I fought with the taxi cab's insurance for about six weeks from accident to check in hand....
I hit a taxi in my 924S who ran a stop also, and my car was totalled out.
If the car is owned by a company than surely it has insurance, so there you go...
good luck, I fought with the taxi cab's insurance for about six weeks from accident to check in hand....
12-31-2007, 01:33 AM
#3
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Get an attorney's opinion......first consultations are sometimes free.
do not settle this out of court, or without representation.
no insurance, ticketed for running stop sign, company trying to settle out of court promising (?????).
neck/spine injuries sometimes do not manifest themselves for some time to come.
These are all bad items adding on to a bad situation to start with.
1. your medical issues need to be addressed first
2. your car issues need to be addressed to your satisfaction (how you want your car to be replaced or repaired)
3. attorney's fees are nothing compared to having health issues from now to eternity------
I have my share of these dealings.
do not settle for anything less than what restores your health and your cars health. be vigilant......
wish you well-----
--Russ
do not settle this out of court, or without representation.
no insurance, ticketed for running stop sign, company trying to settle out of court promising (?????).
neck/spine injuries sometimes do not manifest themselves for some time to come.
These are all bad items adding on to a bad situation to start with.
1. your medical issues need to be addressed first
2. your car issues need to be addressed to your satisfaction (how you want your car to be replaced or repaired)
3. attorney's fees are nothing compared to having health issues from now to eternity------
I have my share of these dealings.
do not settle for anything less than what restores your health and your cars health. be vigilant......
wish you well-----
--Russ
12-31-2007, 04:44 AM
#6
928 Barrister
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I must definitely agree strongly with all that Russ advised. Do not sign a medical release for at least a year, because injuries may appear down the road a bit. In my case, it took about three months and then I needed knee surgery. If you had asked me the day of the accident, I would have said I felt good. I would have been wrong.
12-31-2007, 07:30 AM
#7
Burning Brakes
Candleman,
I am in Naples, and Pine Ridge CoachWorks, Mike Bauer did the bare metal respray on my car, he is terrific, some lady rammed into the back of our one of a kind Targa yest, just screwed the paint on the bumper, but he will be doing that too. Phone 596-3922. I have used Kramers Coachworks on Houchin St. in Naples, that is who the Porsche dealer uses here, and H and L, body shop. All are top notch..
That sucks man, sucks hard, but it can be fixed...
You can tell Mike Bauer, that Spencer Haynes referred you if you need too, they also just did some bumper touch up on my Summer Yellow 944.
Very good people, they take their time and do it right. Since Mike and his crew just finished the complete tear down and reassembly of my 86.5, they would be very familiar with the in's and out's of the car, and the trim..
Let me know if I can help in anyway.
Spencer E. Haynes
I am in Naples, and Pine Ridge CoachWorks, Mike Bauer did the bare metal respray on my car, he is terrific, some lady rammed into the back of our one of a kind Targa yest, just screwed the paint on the bumper, but he will be doing that too. Phone 596-3922. I have used Kramers Coachworks on Houchin St. in Naples, that is who the Porsche dealer uses here, and H and L, body shop. All are top notch..
That sucks man, sucks hard, but it can be fixed...
You can tell Mike Bauer, that Spencer Haynes referred you if you need too, they also just did some bumper touch up on my Summer Yellow 944.
Very good people, they take their time and do it right. Since Mike and his crew just finished the complete tear down and reassembly of my 86.5, they would be very familiar with the in's and out's of the car, and the trim..
Let me know if I can help in anyway.
Spencer E. Haynes
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12-31-2007, 07:37 AM
#8
Go see a good chiropracter. Four or five sessions now could keep you from a lot of pain later. Don't let this go.
Yes, they need to make good on your car, repair or replace. Take Russ' advice, and call that lawyer. Many people start out with good intentions. You need follow through. A lawyer may not need to do much, but he can tell you what you need to do, and what not to do.
Sorry about your shark, but it did it's job. Some good bodymen here on RL, post some pics so they can advise.
Glad you are OK, and you came to the right place. Take it easy for a few days. You got a good shaking there.
Yes, they need to make good on your car, repair or replace. Take Russ' advice, and call that lawyer. Many people start out with good intentions. You need follow through. A lawyer may not need to do much, but he can tell you what you need to do, and what not to do.
Sorry about your shark, but it did it's job. Some good bodymen here on RL, post some pics so they can advise.
Glad you are OK, and you came to the right place. Take it easy for a few days. You got a good shaking there.
12-31-2007, 08:07 AM
#9
Craic Head
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That sucks!
I would definitely get some representation and contact their insurance company. I just recently settled a claim from almost 18 months ago. One of the things their insurance company said was that their insured hadn't notified them immediately, so they were going to cut him loose and wash their hands of the whole thing. I was the one that kept them in the loop.
The car is easy, just get a few companies to do estimates, make sure you tell them you want new parts, then when it's time to do the work, used will be fine, which will allow for any additional work you need to have done that they may have missed. Make sure wherever you take it, that they are working for YOU and not the other insurance company. Big things like a bent frame could get brushed aside if their goal is expedience and cost.
I would definitely get some representation and contact their insurance company. I just recently settled a claim from almost 18 months ago. One of the things their insurance company said was that their insured hadn't notified them immediately, so they were going to cut him loose and wash their hands of the whole thing. I was the one that kept them in the loop.
The car is easy, just get a few companies to do estimates, make sure you tell them you want new parts, then when it's time to do the work, used will be fine, which will allow for any additional work you need to have done that they may have missed. Make sure wherever you take it, that they are working for YOU and not the other insurance company. Big things like a bent frame could get brushed aside if their goal is expedience and cost.
12-31-2007, 10:39 AM
#10
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That sucks! Glad you weren't more seriously injured. As to the car damage, if the driver of the truck was driving while working for the company, then the company should be responsible. If the company wants to settle quick, be very wary unless they are doing so with their insurance company (and even then, get legal counsel before doing so) - I wasn't sure from your post whether they want to settle outside of their coverage, or if they even have insurance coverage. The concern is that the pool company will tell you to go ahead and get it fixed, and then you'll be screwed because they don't have insurance and they don't pay the shop. Make sure their insurance company is involved from the get go because that is where the real money to fix or replace your car comes from. Also, and while it is hard to say without seeing pics, from what you describe, you may be better off having it totaled, and getting a new one (hopefully you have good pre-crash pics and reciepts to argue the highest value)...good luck...
12-31-2007, 11:09 AM
#11
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Learn some latin: respondeat superior. The pool company is liable in negligence for their employee's actions while he's on the job. Assuming he was on his way to/from work or on the job, you should have no problem not only getting your car fixed, but also getting compensated for your personal injuries. Go see a doctor soon to get your injuries checked out. The longer you wait the less likely you can recover for them. A sore neck can be a sign of more serious soft tissue injuries that often get overlooked. Avoid talking to the pool company until after you've seen a doctor and spoken to a lawyer. It is true that anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law; in the civil context, anything you say to them could be an "admission."
PS: No, I'm not a personal injury lawyer but I clerked for a judge for a year and this exact type of case was a good 1/4 of what we settled in pretrial conferences. Keep in mind that these conferences, however, usually occurred about 2 or 3 years after the accident took place.
PS: No, I'm not a personal injury lawyer but I clerked for a judge for a year and this exact type of case was a good 1/4 of what we settled in pretrial conferences. Keep in mind that these conferences, however, usually occurred about 2 or 3 years after the accident took place.
12-31-2007, 12:54 PM
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Racer
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As a former shop owner, I've had several people come in and ask for an estimate stating there will be no insurance involved because the person that hit them stated they will pay all damage. Then they present them with the cost of repairs they ALWAYS FREAK! I never had one person come back and tell me the other party simple wrote them a check. It didn't matter if the damage was 100.00 or 10,000.00. My advise is plan for it. Document everything.
And BTW: If I wrote you an estimate that listed all new parts I would not install used later. Maybe it's just me but I find that highly dis-honest. Right is right. There is no grey area there.
And BTW: If I wrote you an estimate that listed all new parts I would not install used later. Maybe it's just me but I find that highly dis-honest. Right is right. There is no grey area there.
12-31-2007, 02:47 PM
#14
Under the Lift
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If he was on the job in a company vehicle, then his personal insurance status is not relevant or is there something very peculiar about Florida insurance law?
Last edited by Bill Ball; 01-02-2008 at 02:28 PM.
12-31-2007, 04:20 PM
#15
Hire a lawyer, go see a doctor, don't talk to anyone on the other side, thats your attorney's job. As has been said, 9 out of 10 times, anything promised to you is a lie. Whether intended to be or not it will end up that way if you cannot enforce it. I've seen that more than once too. His company has no clue as to how expensive its gonna be to fix a 928 properly, much less your neck! You might even find that they do not have proper insurance for all you know.
I remember 20 years ago, we were hit from behind by a young kid who'd been tailgaiting us. I had even told the wife a few miles earlier that the guy was following way too close & was gonna hit us. Traffic ahead slowed for a car a couple up from us to turn & he smacked us in the rear. He admitted he was looking at a garage sale instead of us, never even hit the brakes. During the process of taking statements a couple of months later, his insurance co's attorney was taking our statements & was questioning my wife, who had whiplash from the incident. I still remember the guy saying something to the effect that the kid stated that my wife had stepped into a ditch when she got out of the car & that was how she was hurt! After my jaw dropped, I told the guy he was done with his questions & our attny. agreed! We ended up settling out of court, but it took 10-12 months as I recall.
I remember 20 years ago, we were hit from behind by a young kid who'd been tailgaiting us. I had even told the wife a few miles earlier that the guy was following way too close & was gonna hit us. Traffic ahead slowed for a car a couple up from us to turn & he smacked us in the rear. He admitted he was looking at a garage sale instead of us, never even hit the brakes. During the process of taking statements a couple of months later, his insurance co's attorney was taking our statements & was questioning my wife, who had whiplash from the incident. I still remember the guy saying something to the effect that the kid stated that my wife had stepped into a ditch when she got out of the car & that was how she was hurt! After my jaw dropped, I told the guy he was done with his questions & our attny. agreed! We ended up settling out of court, but it took 10-12 months as I recall.