need help from the collective

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: HazardousGorilla
turtlevette... This was a Massachusetts accident?

(It seems it is.) I'll pray for you. Because they are going to try to screw you... Standard business practice.. And you ain't lying about high cost in MA...
Massachusetts is a MANDATORY insurance no-fault state. How is it that you didn't have insurance?

 

[HazardousGorilla]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: HazardousGorilla
turtlevette... This was a Massachusetts accident?

(It seems it is.) I'll pray for you. Because they are going to try to screw you... Standard business practice.. And you ain't lying about high cost in MA...
Massachusetts is a MANDATORY insurance no-fault state. How is it that you didn't have insurance?


Thank you for taking the ball and running with it, MrStig. That was actually my first thought as well. MA and select others (CA I believe, I don't know others) are as you say. I simply did not articulate it well.

turtlevette, I'll pay your contempt of court citation myself. I know a thing, or two, or three, or four, or five, about that. Truth.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Originally Posted By: Leo99
Was it insured as a classic car?

Go through your own insurance company and see if they will pay to repair and then they will usually go after the side for your deductible.

Glad you weren't injured.


I didn't have it insured on my end. Because I'm an excellent driver and didn't think I needed it.

I did get knocked out, lost consciousness, and leg and knee got banged up.


Unfortunate you didn't have it insured as a classic, it might have been 100% covered. That said....unconscious and banged up, hope you went to the hospital to get checked out. Unconscious can mean bigger money. You could score enough pain and suffering to rebuild the car.

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: HazardousGorilla
turtlevette... This was a Massachusetts accident?

(It seems it is.) I'll pray for you. Because they are going to try to screw you... Standard business practice.. And you ain't lying about high cost in MA...
Massachusetts is a MANDATORY insurance no-fault state. How is it that you didn't have insurance?


This has already been discussed. He does have ins, just not collision.

 

[turtlevette]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: HazardousGorilla
turtlevette... This was a Massachusetts accident?

(It seems it is.) I'll pray for you. Because they are going to try to screw you... Standard business practice.. And you ain't lying about high cost in MA...
Massachusetts is a MANDATORY insurance no-fault state. How is it that you didn't have insurance?


I don't have collision. You know, I'm an arrogant sort.

The ins can go pound sand. I can fix it with my own 2 hands. I'm not doing a salvage title jumping thru all the mass paperwork.

I've been in court representing myself a couple times and it's priceless. I got a great sense of satisfaction both times. Judges here are consumer oriented. And mass small claims has no limit for auto property damage claims.

I'm looking forward to it. I hope they don't settle.

 

[Silverado12]

The car will need a new wheel, tire, spindle, possible control arm and tie rods, etc. from the unseen damage in the front end. The rest is repairable. New quarter, inner rear fender, door skin, front fender and inner fender plus probably a little pulling around the door. We used to fix wrecks like this a lot. It's def fixable. Don't let the body shop cut the quarter mid-ways, but do a proper repair where they remove the rear window, cut it out leaving the quarter around the trunk seal lip intact. From what I remember the time was about 14 hrs for the rear quarter/inner fender by itself, but most body shops do a half-[censored]ed job by cutting corners.

 

[turtlevette]

I mean, everyone here knows how big a pain in the rear I am. They don't know what's coming. And I've got plenty of it to spread around for a long time to come.

The wife said get a lawyer. Naw, lawyers are reasonable people.

 

[tomcat27]

you should always have "uninsured" and "under-insured" coverage if you want to cover your loss. way too many people around here dont have coverage or have shady coverage. sue the driver directly and dont accept any settlement from his company. it might also help to have an independent appraisal from a recognized source.

 

[turtlevette]

Originally Posted By: Silverado12
The car will need a new wheel, tire, spindle, possible control arm and tie rods, etc. from the unseen damage in the front end. The rest is repairable. New quarter, inner rear fender, door skin, front fender and inner fender plus probably a little pulling around the door. We used to fix wrecks like this a lot. It's def fixable. Don't let the body shop cut the quarter mid-ways, but do a proper repair where they remove the rear window, cut it out leaving the quarter around the trunk seal lip intact. From what I remember the time was about 14 hrs for the rear quarter/inner fender by itself, but most body shops do a half-[censored]ed job by cutting corners.


I've done all that front end work on the vette several times. The fender is bolt on. The door can be glue pulled for now. The quarter can be pounded and glue pulled then skimmed with filler until a nice clean rust free quarter becomes available locally. I'll do it in 2017-18. I've seen some amazing things done with glue pulling on the net.

 

[Noey]

Uh, oh...

Not having insurance is insane. As you now see.

Anyways, get your injuries attended to and make sure you have MD documentation. Cars are the cheap part for insurance companies, it's the injuries they worry about.

Also, you do NOT have to accept their "Totaled" offer. That is negotiable, especially if your attorney is involved. I'm assuming the kid got the ticket or otherwise has been determined to be at fault. Do some comps on the car and try to get some similar cars in similar condition from Hagerty or other collector car data bases.

 

[Garak]

In theory, this should all work out fine for you, turtlevette, from what little I do know about the insurance system there. And, the concept of not needing property insurance because you're a good driver is relatively sound; the only wrench that ever gets thrown in is when the other party is, for some reason, not insured.

Here, for instance, having a BAC above the legal limit, even without a conviction, will have the insurer wash their hands of you. So, here, if the guy who hits you has a high BAC, and is at fault, you're still responsible for your deductible, because he's not insured, and you would technically have to seek redress from him personally. The insurance company will, too, simply because they can.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
I did get knocked out, lost consciousness, and leg and knee got banged up.


Did you let them take you to the hospital ? If not, you made a costly mistake.
Also, if you weren't wearing a seat belt, that's another costly mistake.

 

[turtlevette]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
I did get knocked out, lost consciousness, and leg and knee got banged up.


Did you let them take you to the hospital ? If not, you made a costly mistake.
Also, if you weren't wearing a seat belt, that's another costly mistake.


Yes, my first ambulance ride. And hopefully my last. I never want to get hit that hard again. I flinch now when a car runs up on a stop sign a little quick. He spun my car 90 degrees and the car ended up over 100 feet away.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Too bad about the TA, but if you drive on public roads something is bound to happen eventually. "I'm a great driver" is a sure sign you forgot about how the 'other guy' drives.

FWIW I went through all this classic [censored] with State Farm a few years ago. They offered almost half of what the car was worth. I worked the Net and came up with several comparable cars and was awarded the full value. No attorney needed, no specialty insurance coverage either.

Good luck. The shiny side is that you are not in a wheelchair drooling...

 

[Andrew1972]

What a dreadful way to learn you were not properly insured. I mean the "collector" value insurance.

I am guessing your injuries may be worth enough to take care of this wreck. That being said won't the vehicle be worthless in resale of it has major body work? Not sure if it matters to you with respect to resale.

Good luck. I carry full collision on a 11 year old vehicle because dealing with other insurance companies is painful.

 

[KrisZ]

Good to hear your injuries were not too serious.

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
I mean, everyone here knows how big a pain in the rear I am. They don't know what's coming. And I've got plenty of it to spread around for a long time to come.

The wife said get a lawyer. Naw, lawyers are reasonable people.


Definitely get what you deserve and then some. The stupid, texting kid should be severely punished for his/her stupidity, and the most effective method seems to be getting hit hard by a law suit.

 

[Duffyjr]

"I flinch now when a car runs up on a stop sign a little quick."

You won't get over this for a long time. I was t-boned a spun around 180 and was knocked out for a few seconds five years ago.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Good to hear your injuries were not too serious.

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
I mean, everyone here knows how big a pain in the rear I am. They don't know what's coming. And I've got plenty of it to spread around for a long time to come.

The wife said get a lawyer. Naw, lawyers are reasonable people.


Definitely get what you deserve and then some. The stupid, texting kid should be severely punished for his/her stupidity, and the most effective method seems to be getting hit hard by a law suit.


Except he is probably a turnip: as in, you can't get blood from one. He'll probably just shrug, and either walk away or declare bankrupcy.

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Good to hear your injuries were not too serious.

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
I mean, everyone here knows how big a pain in the rear I am. They don't know what's coming. And I've got plenty of it to spread around for a long time to come.

The wife said get a lawyer. Naw, lawyers are reasonable people.


Definitely get what you deserve and then some. The stupid, texting kid should be severely punished for his/her stupidity, and the most effective method seems to be getting hit hard by a law suit.


Except he is probably a turnip: as in, you can't get blood from one. He'll probably just shrug, and either walk away or declare bankrupcy.


OP, turtlevette, my sincere condolences.
glad you are alive, not in a wheelchair and not drooling.
take care on the medical side first... you only live once.
even if you represented yourself in court before, i would advise to use a tactful vulture lawyer this time (just civilized enough and experienced)
even if the kid is not collectable, attach a judgement... he may be collectable in 10 years...if he wants a new car, house, credit cards, phone bill, utilities bill ....

 

[Nate1979]

Even if you sue the kid its his insurance that is the responsible party right? Sure the kids insurance rates are going to go thru the roof after this but why would he ever pay or go bankrupt?