Originally Posted by Kurtatron
I don't know where else to turn. I need some advice. The accident was absolutely not my fault. Just going straight in city roads. Other driver decides to turn left right into me! I couldn't believe it!!! My airbags went off. I got bruised and bled, but I feel ok. My car was a 1999 Toyota Solara. Police showed up, made a report, a witness verified that the incident was not my fault.
So I am in Michigan, a no fault state. I don't get any reimbursement. My insurance company said I can get reimbursed $1,000 max since I was not at fault, at the other driver's expense. I am going to pursue that, called a tort(?) claim.
But what do I do financially? Really guys, I don't have a ton of money. This state is totally screwing me with this no fault bullpoop. The car still runs and moves. Should I repair it? It has 213k miles on it. But that looks like extensive damage. Should I sell it for parts and get a replacement? I put so much money into this car!!! I put like 3 grand worth of parts into it!!!! I am soooooo disappointed. This car could have lasted me another 50k miles easily!!!! And it had no rust as a Michigan car!!!!
How hard is it to replace airbags? Uhg.
Only good news is my health, and that I have a camper van I can drive until I figure out a solution. What do you guys think I should do?
I only have minimum liability, no collision coverage.
Step #1, After making the scene safe, wait for LE and file report (you did this, good!)
Step #2, Always go directly to the hospital, especially if air-bags deploy. You may feel fine, and NOT be fine. Further, this plays into legality later.
Step #3, Always notify your insurance company (you did this, good!)
Step #4, Hire an attorney. You now have medical bills (Step #2), you have suffered loss of property, and you have had "pain and suffering". You may also have lost wages due to time away from work, rental expenses, and other things.
I used to just shrug it off and be a good guy and get my car fixed, and move on.
Then I met "Direct General Insurance". Their client hit my 370Z one day, and messed up my back (minor, but still hurt and needed chiropractic for a bit). I called my insurance, theirs, etc., filed PD report on site, all things. I did end up going to the hospital 2 days later. Anyway, I was just going to eat the hospital bill, and wanted them to pay me $1000 for chiropractic and to "just fix my car with OEM parts at a good body shop that I have chosen per my dealer's recommendation".
Pretty darn easy going!
Anyway, they ILLEGALLY authorized the [censored] shop that my car was initially towed to, to fix it, which I found them in the middle of dismantling it 3 days after the incident when I called the shop I had chosen to fix it, and they said it wasn't there. They told me it was a $4500 estimate. At this point, I lost my [censored], called my attorney, and told him to paint the earth red, salt it, and end their lineage. He did.
What ended up happening?
The at-fault's insurance paid: $13,XXX to fix my car properly, $8000 in pain and suffering + $2600 in medical bills, and $4000 diminution of value to my car on top of repairing it + $1000+ in rental (I had a Kia Optimal for over a month).
This is why I recommend just getting an attorney if you do not IMMEDIATELY get satisfaction when you contact the insurance agency of the at-fault. If they don't treat you fair immediately, they never will, and you're going to have to show them who's packing more heat.