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i was on the 15 fwy stuck behind a semi with a wide load when the roofing material off the the mobile building he was towing began to tear off in large sheets hit my brand new dodge truck head on. the whole front end is scratched up now... :( and i just got thru making the first payment on it. the CHP arrived and got my story then went up to talk to the driver of the truck who said that i hit, pushed and spit on him... so now the officers were looking at arresting me!! i had a witness in a second vehicle who was willing to stop and saw the entire thing go down.. i also had my wife and kids in the truck with me. what an ordeal to say the least. i wont be able to contact his insurance company until monday.. but i have a bad feeling that its going to be a mess and i will probably need legal help on it.
im sure others will have simular stories and i want to hear them all.. and how they turned out for you.
thanks.. :)
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Get a copy of the police report a.s.a.p, names and numbers of any and all witnesses.
Take photos of all damage a.s.a.p, and get 3 repair estimates from body shops.
I have delt with several accidents that were not my fault and had to fight for
every penny from the insurance companys. A good lawyer will be worth it if
they will not pay you or their is a dispute. I handled my own paper work and
got a fair settlement.
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Unfortunately, I have a great insurance co (USAA) and I would have called them and they take care of everything. I use my own insurance co and let them fight the other co. That is what I pay for. And I have hit everything but the lottery in my vehicles. Good luck.
CY
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Unless you have significant life threatening/disabling injuries, you don't need a lawer. It's an accident, not the lottery.
You are entitled to recover the cost of your damage and the reasonable cost for the rental of a replacement vehicle or loss of use of while your vehicle is under repair.
You don't need three estimates, just one from a reputable shop. No back yard/shade tree body shops. The insurance company may ask to inspect the vehicle and write their own estimate. If they ask, let them inspect and tell their appraiser who your shop of choice is to repair the vehicle. Their appraiser should reach an agreed price to repair the damage with your shop.
Your actions post accident are irrelevant when dealing with the civil damage portion of your claim. Some trucking insurers are a little slow, but treat them with patience and respect and you'll be better off in the long run. Being a rude, demanding a**hole will not help your cause.
You should expect to hear from the insurance company adjuster in a few days and they will explain the process further. Best case scenario, you have a check for repair costs in 10 to 15 days.
Good luck.
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Unless you have significant life threatening/disabling injuries, you don't need a lawer. It's an accident, not the lottery.
You are entitled to recover the cost of your damage and the reasonable cost for the rental of a replacement vehicle or loss of use of while your vehicle is under repair. ..........
You should expect to hear from the insurance company adjuster in a few days and they will explain the process further. Best case scenario, you have a check for repair costs in 10 to 15 days.
Good luck.
Now thats funny. A check in 10-15 days. Spoken just like an adjuster. LOL.
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Hocus:
I can hook you up with a classmate of mine, if you want. PM me if you're interested.
He's great, lots of experience opening cans of whoop ass on auto ins. adjuster-types :D :D :D
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im pretty laid back by nature and treat everyone with respect.. i don't think its necessary to yell and scream to get your point accross. although my truck is damaged, no one got hurt, i just need to get the truck fixed. i had just made the first payment on it.
i contacted the trucking companies insurance this morning and started the ball rolling. they only asked for 1 estimate and told me i should hear from the adjuster sometime tomorrow.
im 43 and only had to deal with insurance companies a few times in my life so i pretty lucky there.. but i know i got hosed by them. :(
