Rear Ended

[trader ray]

Well, my little truck got wrecked yesterday, not totaled but lots of damage. I was stopped behind another pickup at a busy stop light and when he took off he lost part of his load. So he stops right there in a moving lane at rush hour. I looked in my mirror and seen a Geo Tracker going sideways, he got it stopped and a Lincoln that was not paying attention hit him in the rear at about 45 MPH. He hit the Tracker so hard the guys hat went out back window. The Lincoln hit the Tracker and knocked him about 5 feet into me and my rear bumper went over his bumper and took out his grill and hood.

We are very sore and I had to take my wife and myself to the hospital emergency. She has whiplash and I have a sprained left wrist, sprained right ankle and my back and neck are real sore. I broke my just installed tilt column and blew the rear wheel cylinders and one of the front calipers is locked up. I seen it coming and braced myself and could only warn my wife. The seatbelt saved her a lot of grief and my windshield, but at the same time it is what cut her neck and did most of the damage to her.

I know this post is going nowhere but I needed to vent some I guess. I can't fix anything on my truck because of the splints on my leg and wrist. Plus I have to wait for the insurance company has a look. I was wondering if anyone has been through something like this. With the truck so old, a 89, I know they won't find a used column as I don't think insurance will use "used parts" or will they plus the bumper and tail lights are destroyed plus the brake problems, it even broke my bucket seat I just installed recently. What will the insurance do? I hope they offer a cash payout and let me fix the truck. I doubt there is even a blue book on a 89 5 speed/2WD 4 cylinder short bed. I don't want to loose my Jeep and would buy it back. I also know where another is but I would want a 4.0 and 4x4 this time. I found a 2x4 that is the twin to my truck, even the color.

[Automan2164]

Sorry to hear that. I went through the "Totaling out" process with mine. :ack: All I can say is be nice to their claims adjuster. I shot the crap with the guy, and kinda "fluffed" the recent lift, age of the engine, work I had done...etc... Nice guy. He ended up telling me they were going to total it, and he told me $1000. I kinda hum-hoed on the phone, and he told me to make up some recipts at work (I worked at a dealer at the time). He wanted to just have some papers, so his boss would be happy with upping the amount. Ended up with handwritten recipts from the parts dept, and turned them in.

 

Got $2,000 bucks, and he let me keep the title free and clear. :brows:

 

All it did was cave in the cab corner, but thats an expensive fix. Drove it for awhile, and sold it :fs1: .

 

Moral of the story, make friends with the adjuster. Most likely he is a car guy too. Let him know how you feel, and what your looking to get. Don't accept his first offer, they aren't fixed deals. Ask for more, and see about keeping a clean title.

 

Rob L. :thumbsup:

[Eagle]

Play hardball.

 

This accident was not your fault. I'm not an attorney or an insurance adjuster, but I believe the rules are very different when an accident is the other party's fault. You aren't driving a 20-year old Comanche because you have to, you are driving it because you WANT to. Their client wrecked your truck. You expect it to be repaired to the condition it was in prior to the accident, regardless of cost. The legal terminology is "making the injured party whole." You can't run out and buy another Comanche like yours, so throwing a few dollars at you does not make you whole. You are entitled to have your vehicle repaired. With new parts. It's a General Motors steering column, so I'll bet they are still available through GM if not through Jeep.

 

Talk to an attorney. Especially since you and your wife were injured. I was hurt in an accident once (as a passenger) when I was in high school. The accident was in July and some of the problems didn't show up until I was back in school and tried out for the basketball team. Be sure your rights are reserved and protected.

[trader ray]

First I want to appoligize for the way I spelled the subject. I could not even find it. Now the reason, one poor proof reading, but why it was so far off. While we were driving and getting rear ended, we were actually looking at some houses near Knoxville Tn. We had our lap top running windows streets and trips, and the crash cracked the keyboard and I really did not notice till it got dark. Now the curser just goes where it wants to when it wants to.

Second, I really want to thank you both for your post. I am seeing some legal aid tomorrow and I really wanted to know something about what he will tell me. I called a lawyer because I did not know where I stood about getting my truck fixed. You are right about wanting to drive the truck. I have thrashed on it all summer getting things ready to go to these local car shows. I have not posted them but I have all the before and after pics of everything I have done. From the front clip to the entire interior. It is still a clunker but it is my clunker. I am going crazy not fixing at least the brakes until the lawyer gets with the insurance company. One car never applied his brakes and he hit one and then it hit me and I never hit anything except the steering wheel. I am also the only one not getting a ticket, the ramming car got it for following too close, the middle car had no insurance.. I for probably the only time in life was right, heck even my wife said so..LOL

[Eagle]

Keep us posted.

 

And don't forget -- although normally you are (or should be) entitled to have your vehicle repaired using new parts, if new MJ parts aren't available ... this is the best resource for finding used parts. You're tapped into a network that'll help you scout 'em out when you need 'em.

 

Good luck. Just don't sign anything without an attorney's review and okay.

[Eagle]

BTW -

 

Check and double check your rear height-sensing proportioning valve. Mine exploded in a panic stop situation. I was more fortunate than you -- I didn't hit the idiot, and there was nobody behind me. But my heart rate went up a lot, and the rear proportioning valve blew out.

 

That's why I recommend taking them out ... I can't trust them after that. But you do have to understand what they do and that there will be a change in how the rear reacts under braking if you eliminate it. If yours blew out, though, you have no choice. The part is no longer available new and IMHO it would be foolish to replace a blown one with a used part of the same age (or older).

[trader ray]

thank you for the tips, the lawyer is due in about 20 minutes. I checked with some of my car lot buddies and they said that the insurance will total it because of the age and the price of the parts. I won't know to they contact me though. Everyday they wait, is better for me. I don't have a vehicle that is safe to drive and maybe I should just go rent one and recoupe from them.. lol

I have found a 86 wagoneer that has a 2.8 4x4 with a auto trans that is in decent shape, the trans is shot. OH, I forgot it has a bad trans. It is $300.00 to who ever might need it. I could not tell the rear end as the weeds was high and I got these splints on. It looked like a good deal. If interested I will get the phone number.

[maddzz1]

do you have un-insured motorist insurance? In my state the car that actually hit you would be responsible for your car (the guy with no insurance) even tho he was pushed into you.

[dakal]

for the future...

 

with my insurance i told them i was worried about getting my money out if i got hit. so for a little more money, with receipts, i will get all my money back plus the price of the truck. also something for the labor.

 

hope nothing ever happens :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

[Lenard]

do you have un-insured motorist insurance? In my state the car that actually hit you would be responsible for your car (the guy with no insurance) even tho he was pushed into you.

:nuts:

 

 

when i wrecked my mj i hit another truck and pushed him into the car in front of him, my insurance paid for both cars, thats how it is here in Missouri

[trader ray]

The lawyer contacted the insurance for the guy at fault right from right here. He recomended a total and the value of what I had in it. I had my lap top on the table to show him the pics of what I did, he coveyed that to the adjuster and she was taking notes as he knew what to say. I have bills and part reciepts and the bill of sale also. She asked him what it would take to get in a comparable ride to my satisfaction and he said 2 grand and a salvage title for me to keep the truck and they are due here tomorrow. I told them it is not drivealbe and the adjusted said it would cost more to have it towed back and forth than the claim. I will accept that. I can put the old column in and rebuild this one on my own time and I have already located a rear bumper. Now the brakes and I will be good to go. I wonder if a rear XJ bumper will fit or not. I bet it won't because of the drop down tailgate. Oh well. I will see when I have a check in my hand for the truck part of this. Thanks for all the great advice.

[Automan2164]

don't settle for a salvage title!

 

Rob L.

[james750]

They can't change the title unless you transfer the ownership over to them, at least thats how it works in CO, my truck was totaled out about a year ago, when I was in the middle of a chain reaction similar to yours. They totaled my truck out at 2800, I bought the truck back for 400, and fixed the truck for 250 and 500 for my JCR bumper, I had a Warrior front bumper on the truck that I liked the looks of but it couldn't handle a winch and was severely damaged in the crash, although I think the bumper took a majority of the blow and saved the frame of the truck, The title is still clean. It was after I lifted the truck and my rear bumper went through the windshield of the car that hit me (man that had to be scary for him) and the windshield was torn out at my bumper height and the bumper was sitting into his door frames, the only front end damage was from where his front right fender hit the guard rail after he rebounded from hitting my truck, it was an 07 impala that hit me after skidding over 60 ft, he shoved me into 2 cars in front of me.

 

Moral of the story, usually you can come out ahead in these things if you can do the repair work yourself, but you will have to deal with the accident headaches and injuries as well as legal ramifications at the same time, it can definitely be frustrating, but it will pay off both for your well being and your trucks repair to do all of this right.

[Eagle]

Yeah, do NOT let them put "Salvage" on your title. Get the lawyer to insist on that.

 

You have to understand what "Totalled" means. It does NOT mean that the vehicle is a "totally destroyed" pile of scrap metal. On a 20+ year old vehicle, a busted taillight can "total" it. All the term means is that the cost to repair it exceeds the book value of the vehicle. The damage you see may make your truck a "total," yet the same damage on a 2008 Ford Ranger might cost twice as much to repair and it wouldn't be a "total."

 

So they're not buying the vehicle from you and selling it back to you with a diddled totle. They are paying you $2 grand to have your truck repaired. End of discussion. If they won't agree to that ... go see a neurosurgeon about the pains you've been having in your neck since the accident.

 

When my old full-size Cherokee was rear-ended by a teenie bopper, her insurance company initially agreed to repair it, but when the body shop found that the only rear quarter panel available was for a Grand Wagoneer with a recessed gas cap, the insurance company balked at buying the parts to put the gas filler collar on. I just pointed out to the adjuster that I had not asked to have my plow vehicle taken out of action during snow season by THEIR client, I wasn't asking them for lost income, I wasn't claiming any bogus whiplash injuries, all I wanted was my damn Jeep fixed.

 

They paid for it.

 

P.S. No, a Cherokee rear bumper won't fit. Front, yes. Rear, no way.

[MiNi Beast]

Sorry about the bad luck. Hope all gets squared away.

 

Now on to some pressing issues... :shake:

:needpics:

[trader ray]

I will upload some pics in a few, I again want to say thanks for the advice. Awsome stuff. I will not settle for a salvage title, I can do all the work myself and be able to get some other parts I have wanted. I have also went and looked at a truck just like mine. The 2.5 has been rebuilt and sounds great. Thanks for the answer about the rear bumper off a XJ.. I do know where a stock step bumper is but I was going to go for a different look.

I can't even discuss the medical stuff with their insurance. My lawyer told me to not sign or say a word about it, just sign for the truck with what ever makes me happy. He told me to find me a back up ride as I can't do it all in a day on my truck. Thanks again. I will put up some pics when the ole' lady gets home with the camera. The damage to the exterior is not as bad as the damage to the inside as I am 300 LBS. and that is why I broke the steering column and sprained my ankle and wrist. The seat is broke also. A medical case is being prepared as I write this.

[Eagle]

I wasn't aware you could handle the vehicle independently from the medical, but it sounds like your attorney is on top of the situation so follow his advice. Best wishes for a speedy ... and complete ... recovery to both you and your wife.

[dfreeman616]

i know you weren't considering that clunker program, but technically your truck was worth $4500 a couple days ago, but now isn't because it's not driveable. probably too late to try that angle, and then there's the issue of if you'd get it back or not. hope it works out for you and that you and your wife don't have any long term health issues from it.

[glundblad]

I don't want to scare you but in my opinion, insurance adjusters are whores as much as car dealers. Back in 2002, I had a new 6 month old Tahoe z71 with 5,000 miles on it and a lady pulled out in front of me. It was her fault so it was her insurance that needed to pay. It was Progressive Insurance. They were at my work within 2 hours to look at damage. Tahoes are tanks (she needed to be towed, I drove to work :clapping: ). He got on the phone and started calling junkyards looking for used body parts. I told him there was no way they were going to put used parts on a new truck (not to mention illegal). He said it was policy. He didnt get far because there were none available but you get my point. The body mechanic told me never use any insurance company that markets using an 800 number (Geico too).

 

I just bought a new car awhile back. I can't begin to tell you how bad I was treated in that deal but car dealers is another post.

 

I found out there is such a thing as classic vehicle insurance. My understanding is that it is not terribly expensive. I may look into it.

 

Just be careful.

[Eagle]

I found out there is such a thing as classic vehicle insurance. My understanding is that it is not terribly expensive. I may look into it.

Yeah ... Taylor. They won't insure a vehicle you drive regularly, and they won't insure a 4-wheel drive.

 

That was as of three years (or so) ago. If they have changed their policies (no pun intended), please let me know.

 

http://www.jctaylor.com/

[trader ray]

My lawyer insisted these two be handled separtly. I guess it is where he is taking on my wifes case and mine as well. It is a long story that I have printed twice, but I have to go get a new keyboard for this laptop. I ended up with $1750.00 and I get to keep the truck and clear title. My truck is rough as far as the left door and fender and it has had a main bearing noise since i have owned it. I drive it 70 mph everyday and use Lucas every oil change. I found a truck a few weeks ago I can't get out of my mind, it is a 64 slick body ford pickup. It has a 8 cly. It is not a V8, it is a Y8 some of you may remember them. pic in the moring. just in case you all are thinking I am trading, you can forget that. That ford will be my transportation while I rebuild my truck. one more thing, today was the second time the Jeep has been totaled in 8 years, the po must have crunched it up too. these Jeeps just don't Die.. :nuts:

[trader ray]

Keep in mind, the most damage was inside the cab and to me and my wife. But the bumper is still tore up and tail light cracked as well as the bed being smashed in. I found some brand new tail lights off a old dodge dakota. The look identical, I guess i will have to try them to be sure. Here is pic # 1 out of 3.

[trader ray]

Wheel got so hot driving it home it melted the hub cap. The brakes are locked up.

Well I got the main pic up, there are two others. That bumper was the result of a car being rammed into me at about 45 mph. He never braked.

[trader ray]

I get to keep the truck. With the money I am buying a 89 Dodge Commercial Van from a hospital. 73 K on the OD. It has always been stored inside. I get it Monday. I get to fix my truck and have the van as well and I needed a van. So for now it has worked out. Just got to see what the lawyer can do for me.