Rear Ended. What to do?

[goz_83]

Hi guys. I'm just in from hospital, because I was rear ended at 7:15 after work yesterday evening. There I was, waiting at the lights, about 5 feet away from the car in front of me, in neutral, with the handbrake engaged, when about 10-15 seconds later....WHOOOOOMP! My car flew forward about 2-3 feet and my head went like a jack-in-the-box. I was dazed and at first I thought I had released the clutch and the car had conked out, until I remembered I drive a tip and the force was way too much anyway. I jumped out of the car and felt a pop in my left ear and realised I had been hit from behind.

The other guy got out of his 08 focus and was apologising right away. He is the same age as myself (28) and is from Brazil. He asked if I was OK and the pain just stung for a few seconds before going away into a stiffness. I told him I was fine, except for my neck stinging at that moment. Seemed like a nice chap, so I didn't scream at him for not seeing me on a straight road, with my break lights on! I looked at the rear bumper and my heart sunk. It was totally pushed in and forward. The p/side light was broken and the boo lid was pushed forward too. I popped the boot and the flaps that covers the bulb holders were pushed forward, which made me think the car is now f**cked. The boot wouldn't close. I called the Gardai, there were two stations within a mile of where I was, but after a half hour, nothing. A passing Garda van pulled in to check that everyone was OK. He saw I was in a bit of pain and asked if I had called an ambulance. I said I was fine and he said we should follow him to the local station and he would take details. At the station, he said I should go to the hospital to get checked out. Just as well I did, because I was in bits by the time I got there. I was there from about 9pm until 3:30am and I am on some strong pain killers and anti flams too. I have to book physio on Monday, so don't know how long that will go on, or at what cost. I don't know what the A&E bill costs either.

I don't know what to do. The guy is on his girlfriends policy and I don't want to screw them over with insurance claims. At the same time, I am really annoyed about the car, as I have put so much time and money into it since I got it a few weeks ago. I am supposed to be seeing clients from 12pm today, but I won't be fit to see them, so I will be losing significant earnings every day I am out of work, as I am self employed. I also don't know what the long term effects could be, or if other injuries might pop up. My friend was left with a bad shoulder after an accident a couple of years ago and he just took money for the car repair. The injury acted up weeks later and I don't want to be in the same boat. I am torn here, because I know this could happen to me, but on the same token, I feel bad for the guy who hit me. Should I contact the insurance company anyway, to make them aware of the accident? What would you do?

[d_dan]

To be honest. Your cars probaby a write off considdering repair costs vs buying a new one.

As you were injured i donno i may claim. Repairing you car is gonna be expensive and im sure you done wana pay hospital bills either.

Im glad yor om though.

[colm_mcm]

Insurance is the only route. That's why you pay it. I despise people who make fraudulent claims, but if yours is genuine then don't be ashamed to do it - especially if you've been injured

If I was driving someone else's car, I'd be 10 times more careful than in my own

[StewyD32]

I was in the same situation with my work van (she hit me twice in a row) and felt the same about claiming and wasn't going to but I was off for a month without pay and nearly lost the house (renting with a money grabbing landlord) as I was broke.
I had no option to claim and still waiting to hear back.
6 months later I'm still going to physio!!!! I'm fine for a week or 2 but progressively get worse.
I would claim as if I were you as the pain you are feeling right now I can garentee you it will be in several places by the end of the week.

[Myfeckin FTO]

Definetely inform insurance company immediately. You were rear ended and your FTO is very likely not worth repairing - now unfortunately is not the time to be nice. How did you leave it with the other driver?

[goz_83]

Contacted insurance company to tell them about the accident. just so I would be covered. I was in a heap earlier. Have been in bed all day, doped up. I'm doin a bit better now, because I was feelin really nauseous earlier. Was like I had drank way too much. I was hugging the toilet bowl in the office, Medics reckon it was the meds and shock. Would be right shame to write car off I had so many things I wanted to do. If it does come down to the insurance company taking it away, do you think I would get away with borrowing the exhaust?

[StewyD32]

Say it fell off
And you don't know where it is as you didn't know what was going on

[d_dan]

swap it out before they come down to see it

[goz_83]

lol. Maybe i can say the interior fell out too. hehe.

hopefully it wont come to that. tried to ring the guy who hit me at 11:30 this morning. No answer. He tried calling me at 7:30 but i was sleeping. Tried calling him at 9, no answer. frustrating. I took the car on a quick spin to the office this morning. It feels a bit wobbly, especially when turning right. Maybe anti-roll bar? Looks like I have no wheels. Insurance might be needed to supply courtesy car.

[StewyD32]

What ever mods you have on the car taken them off if they were needed to be outlined to get an insurance policy and you didn't
If not take what you want off as long as you don't mess with it too much... Like the interior fall in as you say

[optical illusion]

Your car will more than likely be written off. I'm sorry, but screw the guy in the car, he was at fault, I don't care who he is or how nice he's being, you have a long road ahead of you medical bills wise. Keep all receipts, and don't let her insurance company bully you into settling soon for your injuries, they may get worse later on and once you claim then that's it...

Also, posting up here re: taking bits off your car is not a wise decision, insurance companies keep an eye on forums.

[goz_83]

We'll, to be fair, it's not the stock exhaust, so I could replace that if need be, assuming it goes that far. Who knows what will happen. I'll have the car looked at on Monday to see if it can be saved. As for me, I will just take the pain killers and take it easy for a few days. I keep saying to myself that it could have been worse. I will keep you all posted anyway, and take snaps of the car for the work I did get done on it, just in case it gets towed away to the scrap yard.

[Dave]

It depends on the type of write off, I would assume that it will be an economic write off as the repairs would cost more than the value of the car, if that's the case, the assessor will tender the car out to scrap yards/garages who might want to buy it as salvage and repair themselves. The norm would be for the assessor to get three valuations. So assume they valued it at €500, they would pay your claim out at whatever pre accident value that is agreed, less the €500 and it would be your responsibility to sell the car to the scrape yard. (This is what happened when my last car was written off)

That way you can keep the car and take off whatever bits you want and then re-negotiate with the scrappy!

As for the claim, it's not about being nice, if you have a genuine injury, then it's simple, claim, claim for your injuries, loss of income due to injury and obviously your car. Just make sure to keep all costs and documentation in relation to your hospital visits.

[MY-JAP-MISTRESS]

get the car written off if you can. the prices of FTOs at the mo is dirt cheap so you could prob end up with a better motor if you stick with an fto. as for your injuries claim for as much as you can. you dont know what future problems could come out then its too late to claim. sorry to hear this
happened to you but at least it wernt your fault and insurance will help you get back on the road. as for the other driver.... fk him, if he haddnt of hit you then there wouldnt be a problem. SIMPOLZ!!!!

[goz_83]

Looks like its goin through insurance. It would be an eco write off I reckon and would hate to see the car gettin scrapped. His insurer contacted me today and will be back in touch. I have to go to physio on Monday at Beaumont hospital. I am not in pain (probably due to pain killers and anti flams), but my neck and back are really stiff. I am going to try go back to work tomorrow. I am a therapist, so no physical labour. I missed saturday and today. I hate letting clients down, but on saturday i went in, saw one client and had to run out of the room four times to get sick. It was horrible. Called ambulance after that, but I didn't have to go into hospital, because the medics said it was mostly down to the meds and my body experiencing shock. They said it was up to me. I lowered the dose and I am feeling a bit sickly on and off, but otherwise I am my normal self. I think I will take a courtesy car, now that it is goin through insurance, because I wouldn't want the exhaust fallin off the fto.....

Also, there is a screeching noise coming from one of the belts in the engine bay since the accident. Happens after the car has been running a few minutes. Would this be related, or coincidence? I noticed the heat shield is missing from underneath. It was there last week when the exhaust was gettin changed and now it's gone. Didn't see it on the road where I was hit.

[Myfeckin FTO]

.............Also, there is a screeching noise coming from one of the belts in the engine bay since the accident. Happens after the car has been running a few minutes. Would this be related, or coincidence? I noticed the heat shield is missing from underneath. It was there last week when the exhaust was gettin changed and now it's gone. Didn't see it on the road where I was hit.

When you say heat shield I presume you are talking about the engine undertray. If this is gone then you'll be getting water on your belts and they will screech.

[goz_83]

No, I am talkin about the thin shield that covers the centre of the exhaust where the lambda sensor would be, just at the cat.

Insurance assessor for the other guy is calling in the morning. Is there anything I can say that will make it possible for me to keep the car? Maybe if I said I would be willing to reduce the compensation by the amount the scrap yard would be offering (which would be like €500 maybe). I could then give it to my brother, as he does prefer my GR to his navy fto. He would have plenty of time to get it fixed up before he would be able to drive it (legally)

[goz_83]

Looks like it's goin legal. Was given mis-information by other insurer. I will refrane from posting about this issue until all is cleared up with the car.


Topic moved to motor insurance (registered users only)
-Bernard

[mcgon1979]

I don't know what to do. The guy is on his girlfriends policy and I don't want to screw them over with insurance claims.

I feel bad for the guy who hit me. Should I contact the insurance company anyway, to make them aware of the accident? What would you do?

Dude... Seriously.. This should be the last of your concern. Insurance is for situations like this. The only way people get "screwed" by insurance is when someone falsely claims a bad back etc or neck injuries. Thats called Fraud.
You are injured, your car is a right off, you will lose earnings, you will have medical bills. This is why you pay insurance. To protect you. Not to Screw people over who injure you. 110% follow the insurance route to protect yourself.
I am happy you ar eok. Cars can be replaced. Broken necks cannot. Glad you are ok.

[goz_83]

Thanks. As I said above. It is going legal and via insurance, as I have no time to deal with it myself. I am tired of insurance calls when I am trying to sleep and work.

[Dragonheart]

Definately insurance, you're doing the right thing. Theres a lot of people out there who have the sob story and who promise to pay up if you go outside the insurance companies, and when the time comes they either can't be contacted or they change their story.

[goz_83]

Holy crap. Just got hospital bill for A&E. Nearly 600 blips. Funny thing is, if I sign to say I am not entitled to a claim, they will "readjust" the sum. Talk about taking advantage eh?

[goz_83]

UPDATE:

So the "independent Assessor" for the insurance company contacted me today and I got back to him just as I finished work. Even though my car can be repaired, they are writing it off as uneconomical to repair. I insisted I wanted to keep the car and didn't want it taken/crushed/stripped and would get it repaired myself. I have been offered a sum of money (which I might add is equal to the repair cost), but I have to minus the offer amount by the amount they have been offered by a salvage yard. I could still get it repaired with the money left over if I do some of it myself, but I don't like the idea of them writing off the vehicle, as I would then need an engineers report (costing circa €200) to declare it road worthy, which it already is according to the garage!!!

Can I insist they do not place this "Category C" on the car, effectively dooming it in my eyes and the eyes of the insurers. The engineers fee would just be an additional expense. My brother wants to buy the car from me, so it would be a crap job for him to have to do. Repairs won't be much with a couple of spare parts, but the engineers fee would be a total joke. I might stand my ground and say if they insist on writing it off in this way, that I won't accept the offer. I should be able to go into any garage and get the car fixed and have the bill sent to the insurance company. After all, I did nothing wrong and they shouldn't really have the option of writing off my property if I insist on repair, or fairer compensation terms.

The other interesting thing is that I phoned last Monday for an update when they received a garage quote and I was told by the insurance guy that they can only discuss the matter with my solicitor. And now they call me about a write off! Is this not breaking the rules?


LOL....this post made me an "FTO Nut"....

[optical illusion]

After all, I did nothing wrong and they shouldn't really have the option of writing off my property if I insist on repair, or fairer compensation terms.

True, but you don't have a choice, that's the Irish insurance industry for you. I don't understand it either

You don't have to accept their first offer, btw. Haggle. And make sure you get your medical fees paid for.

[goz_83]

Well sometimes it's only that way because they will have you believe it is. A friend of my brother got his bike wrecked a couple of years ago when someone hit into the back of him (he was stationary too). The insurance said the bike was only worth about 1k, but he had nearly 3k left on finance and the bike was a write off. He insisted they either fix it, or pay the finance bill. They paid the finance bill and then some.

Med fees are being dealt with separately, because I have to attend more physio and will be seeing a doctor in December on their behalf.