Car Crash Blues

Old men must have a thing for me. When I was 18, some guy side-swiped my Volkswagon Rabbit, which was deemed a complete loss. But I was young, and the title was in my mom's name. So I don't remember much of what transpired. I wasn't even in the car. It was parked.

Today, I was chugging down the road in my Corolla when a 77-year-old guy pulled out from a subdivision. I tried my best to stop, but I was going about 50 when I saw him. The tow truck driver said my car was likely totaled. The windshield shattered when the passenger-side airbag bust. The driver's side bag also deployed, keeping me from slamming into the windshield. The front fender, a fiberglass deal, was torn off almost completely. The radiator was bent in, and some steel bar seemed to be broken. I walked away with only a few little nicks on my fingers and a little bruise where my tummy hit the steering wheel.

Anyway, I've got no experience in this sort of stuff. The police issued the other guy a ticket for careless driving. I'm about to call my insurance company to report the accident. From there, it's all new territory for me. Any advice?

 

Glad you're alright, Heineken.

I had multiple accidents (1 my fault, 3 not my fault) when I was in my early 20s. I always let my insurance agent handle it, esp. the ones that weren't my fault.

 

Glad that your okay. Be prepared to probably have some whiplash in a day or so. Wouldn't hurt to get checked out if you start hurting. Also be prepared to feel like you are pulling teeth when dealing with the insurance companies. For now though, just be glad it was the car that was totalled, and not you or the other guy.

 

Schedule a massage for about a week or a week and a half from now. Find a good therapist:

http://www.massagetherapy.com/find/index.php

This is for your mind as well as your body. Even if you weren't hurt badly, car wrecks fuck with the human subconscious. Be good to yourself...pay attention to your body and your mind over the coming weeks.

 

Three words: Get a lawyer.

 

Odds are the other guy's insurance company is going to contact you to get your version of the story. Be very careful what you say, because they're just looking for anything they can get that might make the accident a little bit your fault. I'm not saying you should lie, just don't give any indication that you are unsure of the old man's fault in the accident. I hope for your sake the speed limit was 50 (or higher), or else the old guy's insurance company is going to try to put some of this on you.

Glad to hear you came out of it better than the car.

 

The speed limit was 50.

I just called the lizard people, and they say that I should call his insurance company first. Is this standard or is this their way of making me do the work that would otherwise require them to employ people?

 

From my accident experience, that's normal. They'll probably take down your info, then have someone call you to ask about the accident.

 

You should have contacted your agent immediately after the accident to let him/her know what happened and to give the agent your side. The ticket to the other guys lets your agent know that the other party was at fault.

When the other guy's insurance company contacts you, don't say anything, just tell them to mail you the forms. Have your agent fill them out with you. That way you're making sure that you're not going to say anything that will put you at fault.

As others have said, be prepared for some aches and pains and the major headache of getting the other company to pay. It might not be a bad idea to start looking into lawyers incase the other guy's insurance is reluctant to pay.

 

It's their way of making you do the work.

 

Okay. Well, I called Liberty Mutual and they started a claim. I flat refused to answer one question. It was something like, "When did you see the other car?" I felt like saying, "1978."

I have to wait until Monday to hear something. Hopefully, they get cracking on this shit.

What really sucks is that I was going to have this car paid off in the fall. That was going to allow me to take out a loan to replace our other car, which is on its last legs. Instead, I have to take out a loan for a new car to replace the one that some old guy destroyed today. The payoff will just pay off my loan. I'm thinking of going the lease route. I may take $5,000 and lease two vehicles. My current car payment is $400. If I can get two new cars for three years for only $500 a month, I figure why not. Of course, this is the dumb way to do it. But I've always been that kind of guy. I'm willing to pay for convenience.

 

Heinie,

If it makes you feel any better, I pulled out in front of an old guy and wrecked his truck when I was about 19.

And you should just buy an inexpesive, reliable car you can afford.