Some drunk POS just rear ended my Dodge Challenger....

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burkefj

burkefj

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Sigh, was taking my daughter to the movies tonight, in the right hand lane of the freeway, going 60, some drunk idiot comes screaming on the freeway onramp going about 80 and slams right into the back of me...it was at night and I just saw his lights coming up fast and you sit there thinking, ok, he's in a hurry so will change lanes and go around me and then what the f is he doing then slam....Called the police and they carted him off, feeling sore but nothing broken, daugher appears ok...car probably has 8K or more in damage..it's a 2014...bastard......looks like left quarter panel is toast, distorted around the fuel filler, trunk lid tweaked, rear end plastic/bumper crunched, left cat back muffler looks tweaked etc.....I feel like I just lost my mojo....

Frank
 
Awww maannn, it just sucks to hear that! I'm glad to hear everyone is ok, cars can be replaced, people can not...

Hopefully that piece of crap has good insurance! Drunk people irritate me anyway, but when crap like this happens to innocent people, that just straight pisses me off !!!

I hope he rots....

I'm really sorry this happened, but, at least everybody walked away, that's at least a good thing.


I had to edit out all the swear words, I know a few people this has happened to, and...not all survived :(
 
Glad to hear that you and your daughter aren't hurt worse. Don't take any quick settlements, problems can sometimes take weeks to show up. Sorry about the damage to the car.

So, which FW? I5, 217, 26?
 
Getting plowed at 60 it is very fortunate you maintained control. I know it sucks now, but it could have been far worse. Glad you and your daughter are ok. I hope that drunk driving gets stiff consequences where you are, and this putz will be a long time before getting behind the wheel again.
 
Get daughter checked out. My kids and I got rear-ended a couple of weeks ago while stopped for a school bus. If the idiot had looked up two feet earlier, she wouldn't have hit us - only a small gouge in the bumper cover, but a couple days later, one of the kids started having back and neck pain. Was cleared by the doc and radiologist, but I felt much better knowing that there was no hidden injury.
 
I would also suggest chiropractic care for a while.

Similar thing happened to my wife and daughter 2 years ago. They didn't have skeletal injuries per say but the strain on muscles and connective tissues can be enormous in a car accident. They had the expected back aches and a few joint issues but seeing a chiropractor seemed to help them recover quickly and helped them to remain comfortable during the process.
 
Don't fell so bad, just be glad no one was injured. In my 45 years of driving happened to me 3 times, latest 2 years ago.

1. About 27 years ago: Chain reaction, drunk driver hit a motorcycle behind me, cycle hit my truck, minor damage bumper on pickup, tailgate shot. The driver of cycle escaped with a concussion, very lucky.
2. About 24 years ago: same pickup, parked on the street in front of my house hit by drunk driver, took care of whole rear end of truck, bone yard for the truck. Driver drove off, found about 1/2 mile away in driveway, police followed trail of coolant. Driver wasn't hurt, surprised he drove that far his car was junk also.
3. Two years ago: waiting to make a turn, rear ended by drunk driver, no one hurt. Drove truck home, noticed brakes getting soft. Looked under truck puddle of brake fluid, impact damaged brake line also. Pic. of this one:


truck damage.jpg
 
Frank, glad to hear that you and your daughter are OK. I am forgiving of a lot of things, but drunk drivers just make me incredibly angry. I hope that idiot is prosecuted to the full extent of the law and then some. If he has insurance, make them pay the full extent of your losses. If this happened to me, I would hire a lawyer to make sure you get the appropriate settlement.
 
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Had this happen on Hwy 17 coming into San Jose commuting one morning. We both pulled over to shoulder. Looked in rear view mirror to make sure kid was stopped with blinkers on. He gave me a confirming nod. I then leaned over to get my registration and insurance out of the glove box. As I was shuffling through papers I hear a squeal. Looked over to see him ducking across a couple lanes. Slipped right into traffic and couldn't get his plate. By the time I got car started and back on freeway I couldn't find him (California rush hour traffic). I was pissed--such dung bags in this world.
 
Glad everyone is ok. Along with the others who recommended get a medical checkup is not a bad idea. Your insurance will have lawyers make sure and use them, otherwise the other guys insurance will do everything it can to minimize there losses.
 
rharshberger said:
Glad everyone is ok. Along with the others who recommended get a medical checkup is not a bad idea. Your insurance will have lawyers make sure and use them, otherwise the other guys insurance will do everything it can to minimize there losses.
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+1 Should be no need to hire a lawyer, barring no injuries. Your insurance company should also get "the ball rolling" on repairs. Waiting for the other drivers insurance could and most likely will take a long time.
 
rharshberger said:
Your insurance will have lawyers make sure and use them, otherwise the other guys insurance will do everything it can to minimize there losses.
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It doesn't work that way. His insurance company's attorneys are there to defend his policy against claims brought against his policy not to prosecute another carrier/policy.
 
Frank,

First, thank god you guys are OK. Hopefully insurance will take of your vehicle to suit you, as well as any post-accident soreness you may develop. Our insurance handled everything up front on an accident last year to speed up the process, and then immediately went after the other drivers insurance for medical care if needed, and rental car. That company was extremely cooperative, so sometimes these things work out smoothly.

We have an old Honda Pilot. It was rear ended in that accident last year, and 6 months prior to that. Enough parts have been replaced, and new paint put on, that it looks almost new! (Not that I'd ever be appreciative of the two accidents ...) I now faithfully watch my rear view mirror when stopped in traffic!
 
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You can replace a car. It is good to hear you are not seriously injured.
 
So glad you and your daughter are ok! I can't imagine getting hit with my daughter in the car. I'd be so irate! Definitely have you both checked out though. From past experience, things can come up following an accident; that you don't think are there initially. Again, so glad to hear you guys are ok. I wish they'd go ahead and install breathalizers in cars!
 
Frank,, The car doesn't matter much in the big scheme of things...
You and your daughter are OK...
That's all that counts..

Teddy
 
grouch said:
It doesn't work that way. His insurance company's attorneys are there to defend his policy against claims brought against his policy not to prosecute another carrier/policy.
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It may not quite work that way, but you have to make sure you have solid legal advice or the other guys insurance will take you for a ride. For example my Sister in law recently was involved in an accident and the other guys insurance kept pushing to get her to get the doctor to complete treatment, she wasn't too seriously injured but the chiropractor wasn't ready to sign off until he was sure her neck and back were okay. She contacted her insurance company and their lawyers contacted the other guys, and no more harassment.
 
I'm very glad that you and your daughter have come through this relatively little worse for wear. As others have said, compared to that not much matters.

A few thoughts from me based on my experiences with my wife being rear-ended last May. She had a bad concussion and the effects put her completely out of work for 5 months; then half time, then 75% time... she's still part time for about another month before resuming full time work and has lingering issues. I'm not a lawyer by the way, but I talked to several before settling on one to represent us.

1. If the collision was enough to leave you sore, you should have probably gone to the ER to establish some baseline stuff. Consider going in today if there's even a little soreness. Often, pain and other issues surface over time. My wife's symptoms got worse in the few weeks after her collision. Don't hesitate to get proper treatment, even just to be checked out. Also consider that when you enter into an eventual settlement, the cost of the medical bills (original cost, before any health insurance payments or contract discounts are made) will be a factor in determining the general damages ("pain and suffering").

2. Since the question of fault is a non-issue, and the other driver was apprehended, and was operating the car in an obviously illegal way, it's pretty clear that all liability will rest with him and his insurance.

3. You should immediately ascertain what his insurance coverage is, if you haven't already.

4. Keep in mind that if you engage a lawyer, generally they get a third of the settlement. If you plan to use a lawyer, call around until you find a place that will actually let you talk to the lawyer to get a feel for things, before you sign on. We passed on one firm that wanted us to sign engagement paperwork before they would let us talk to anyone other than an "intake specialist." If it turns out that the bulk of the claim is going to be for car repairs (as opposed to medical bills, lost work, etc.) lawyers probably won't want to take the case.

5. Don't discount the value of your time that you will spend dealing with either repairs or replacement of the car. Also the anxiety you and your daughter probably will feel for some time.

6. Remember, your car insurance (and their lawyers) are interested in getting things done quickly/cheaply... not in maximizing the value of the eventual settlement you get. You'll need to be your own advocate.

Best of luck to you and your daughter.
 
Marc_G said:
I'm very glad that you and your daughter have come through this relatively little worse for wear. As others have said, compared to that not much matters.

We did this last night to get a baseline and have a record.

1. If the collision was enough to leave you sore, you should have probably gone to the ER to establish some baseline stuff. Consider going in today if there's even a little soreness. Often, pain and other issues surface over time. My wife's symptoms got worse in the few weeks after her collision. Don't hesitate to get proper treatment, even just to be checked out. Also consider that when you enter into an eventual settlement, the cost of the medical bills (original cost, before any health insurance payments or contract discounts are made) will be a factor in determining the general damages ("pain and suffering").

Will have to wait till monday to get the police report with his insurance, he wasn't capable of giving it to me at the scene.

3. You should immediately ascertain what his insurance coverage is, if you haven't already.

Yes, exactly.

5. Don't discount the value of your time that you will spend dealing with either repairs or replacement of the car. Also the anxiety you and your daughter probably will feel for some time.

Thanks all!
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Glad you are OK and as a Challenger owner I hate to hear of one being smashed up.
 
Glad you guys are OK. Rather ironic, my best friend just had BOTH his cars, parked in his driveway, totaled by a driver that was texting).
 
1.) You were not at fault.

2.) You were hit by a drunk driver who was arrested at the scene.

3.) Your car is newer, 2014, and most likely has full insurance: liability, collision, uninsured driver, medical, etc.

If the answer to all 3 questions is yes, you are fully covered by your insurance company, and your insurance company is your friend. They will go after the other insurance company to recoup their costs, and your insurance company will or should authorize all repairs immediately, and provide you with a rental car until yours is fixed. While there may be a deductible on your policy, it does not apply as you were not at fault, and the other insurance company is liable for everything. Your insurance company will deal with the other company. That's a service you pay for when you get full insurance.

On thing you need to insist on it that all replaced parts are genuine Chrysler parts. There is a tendency to use cheap replacement parts, but these parts are rarely up to the anticorrosion rating of the original parts and you should insist on getting them. If your state does not allow for factory parts unless they cost the same or less than replacement parts, then you should seek a lawyer. Also make sure the cosmetic repairs are completely done right, otherwise there is a diminished value associated with the accident. If your state allows you to collect for diminished value then make sure you do.

If there is personal injury, I would consult a lawyer. The consultation should be free, and if the lawyer is any good, you only have to pay (a fixed percentage of the settlement) if he wins the case. That's a perfectly fair solution financially for you and the lawyer, and the lawyer won't pursue it unless he believes he will win in court.

Bob
 
I used to live in OR. I had un-insured motorist coverage. When I moved to MN, I tried to get that (same Ins. company), but it was not allowed in MN. So be glad of that if you have it.

OR law states that not only are you entitled to the cost of the vehicle repairs, but to the devaluation of your vehicle due to being in an accident. In today's day of Car Fax reports, your car will be worth less than it used to be. You are entitled to the difference because your asset just got devalued due to his negligence. One nice thing about OR law.
 
CZ Brat said:
I used to live in OR. I had un-insured motorist coverage. When I moved to MN, I tried to get that (same Ins. company), but it was not allowed in MN. So be glad of that if you have it.
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BS. Get a new insurance agent. Uninsured motorist coverage is available in MN. I have both uninsured and under-insured coverage on my vehicles.
 
I'm glad the personal injuries seem minor and I'm also glad the POS didn't try to pull a hit'n'run.

But as a car guy, I have to ask: SE, R/T, ScatPack, SRT8 or Hellcat? :)
 
Physically we seem to be ok so far, car is in the shop, pre-loss condition guaranteed, my insurance company is handling it and getting the reimbursement from Geico...while I'm at it and they are painting I'm getting my spoiler and hood scoop painted flat black...it came with the mopar kit with wing and hood scoop. This is my second challenger, a 2014 RT with flowmaster cat back exhaust, K&N cold air intake. It's a redline 3 coat metallic . It's plenty of power for me to get into trouble with..... My original 2010 is now my wifes car and is a tor-red RT with a flat black tail kick and mopar cold air intake. She always liked my leather interior and heated seats so I gave it to her, my 2014 has cloth interior and I don't need the heated seats....

Frank

WP_20140612_069.jpg

WP_20150104_002.jpg
 
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My wife and I had this happen when we were first married. We were heading out to dinner one night and came upon a slow moving Prelude on a 4-lane where we lived at the time. I passed him, waited until I was several hundred feet clear of him, then signaled and changed lanes. 1/4 mile later I came to a stop light. He pulled behind me a few seconds later and bumped me very lightly. I turned to ask my wife if she felt it and he hit me again, somewhat harder this time. I put the emergency brake on to get out and confront him and he hit me a third time. By this time I'm pretty hot and I went back and started yelling at the guy. It was a warm April afternoon, and he had the window and sunroof open, but he sat there and ignored me, and bumped me again. That really set me off and I started to open his door, only to be grabbed from behind. The incident had happened in front of a service station that happened to be owned by an auxiliary cop. He and his mechanic had been closing up and saw the whole thing and called the accident in. He led me off and told me that I was about to do something I'll-advised while the mechanic got the other guy out. He was a local college professor and was baked out of his mind. Not drunk, but stoned to the bone on painkillers. The police showed up, asked a couple of questions, and cuffed the guy. He was all but incoherent and could only say I cut him off. Lucky for me I had Clarence there whose story matched mine. Never heard how the whole incident played out, but he disappeared from the faculty roster after that semester.
 
Fishhead said:
My wife and I had this happen when we were first married. We were heading out to dinner one night and came upon a slow moving Prelude on a 4-lane where we lived at the time. I passed him, waited until I was several hundred feet clear of him, then signaled and changed lanes. 1/4 mile later I came to a stop light. He pulled behind me a few seconds later and bumped me very lightly. I turned to ask my wife if she felt it and he hit me again, somewhat harder this time. I put the emergency brake on to get out and confront him and he hit me a third time. By this time I'm pretty hot and I went back and started yelling at the guy. It was a warm April afternoon, and he had the window and sunroof open, but he sat there and ignored me, and bumped me again. That really set me off and I started to open his door, only to be grabbed from behind. The incident had happened in front of a service station that happened to be owned by an auxiliary cop. He and his mechanic had been closing up and saw the whole thing and called the accident in. He led me off and told me that I was about to do something I'll-advised while the mechanic got the other guy out. He was a local college professor and was baked out of his mind. Not drunk, but stoned to the bone on painkillers. The police showed up, asked a couple of questions, and cuffed the guy. He was all but incoherent and could only say I cut him off. Lucky for me I had Clarence there whose story matched mine. Never heard how the whole incident played out, but he disappeared from the faculty roster after that semester.
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That was not an accident. It was a crash (a slow crash albeit). Accidents are completely unavoidable (a meteorite falling on you is an accident, a tree falling on you is an accident). Some stoned Asshat not being able to control himself or his vehicle is completely preventable (Asshat needs to stay out of vehicles until sober).

The problem with the use of "accident" is that it lets the person who failed to control themselves and their vehicle off the hook... "It was an accident. Nothing could be done to prevent this.", rather than holding them up in daylight and showing that if they hadn't been doing X, they could have prevented the crash.

Example:

The Shuttle disasters were completely preventable. Had NASA not ignored the warnings of the Engineers, steps could have been taken to prevent the loss of both crews. As it was, warnings were unheeded and two crews were killed.

I've had friends killed in collisions, but none from an accident, and I've been injured (still have pain to this day) in crashes. I realize that the people involved didn't mean for these things to happen, but that shouldn't let them off the hook scot-free.
 

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