I will try to keep it short...

3 lanes going in the direction I am traveling. I am in the far right, blazer is in the far left.

First problem happened when lady in blazer was ALMOST T-boned by a mini van that decided to shoot across from the other lanes going the other direction. Lady in the blazer did however manage to avoid the accident there. HOWEVER... She decided to get pissed and floor it and that is where she lost control.

By this time we are side by side, still with a lane between us. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed her blazer coming straight in front of me but going perpendicular to the flow of traffic. Needless to say, I slammed on the brakes and tried to avoid her as best as possible.

I wound up T-boning her blazer. Only hit at about 20-25 MPH. This was the first accident that I have ever been in. After we collided, I just gripped the steering wheel in a death grip to keep my cool. I was pissed as hell. I looked up and noticed that the lady was fine. She was already on the phone making a call, (I assume to 911), and I did the same. As I was talking to the dispatcher, a undercover cop pulled up behind me, and well we all know where the story goes from there.

Anyways, cop agreed that it was her fault. As you can see from the pics below, I came out pretty darn good. I think all I will need is a new front bumper. The blazer on the other hand was smashed to hell on the passenger side. Her front bumper smashed in and rubbing the tire, front door couldn't close, headlight smashed, back door smashed in, and to top it off, her pass. side mirror was busted.

Sorry I don't have pics of her, just my bumper. But you know when you walk into somewhere with a black eye and you say "you should see the OTHER guy" because that was the case here...

 

road rage. always bights the guilty party in the rump.

 

Those tow hooks save alot. I rear ended an escort a while back and mine looks pretty much the same. Of course the back of his escort looked like a grenade went off.

Have you exchanged insurance information? Is she trying to claim it was your fault at all?

If she was acting like that on the road in those weather conditions I wouldnt put it past her to try and claim you hit her.

 

I miss snow.....

 

Go home, Yankee!

 

 

She didn't really say much of anything. I wasn't too worried after the cop told me he thought it was her who was at fault. I have an appt. tomorrow to get everything checked out. Funny thing is, I have been wanting a new bumper anyways. So if her insurance does wind up paying for this, I will get what I wanted anyways... and for free.

 

Did the cop write her a ticket? If so, its automatically her fault. Both of your insurance companies will call you for a statement and play a round of 20 questions with you.

Compared to mine, that doesn't even look bad

 

I don't know if he wrote her a ticket or not. I was told I could leave and he made her stay. Hopefully she did. I got a call from her insurance today, they said they still haven't been able to get in contact with her yet.

My truck goes in tomorrow for a damage assessment. I hope that the bumper and maybe the brackets are shot. More money for me. I have already been planning on getting an upgraded bumper so this pretty much makes that happen.

If it does turn out that she is at fault, her insurance has to pay me correct? And if so, will her insurance company cut me a check for what the assessed damage value is? I have never been in an accident before so i don't know what to do besides what my insurance tells me.

 

They may not cut you a check directly - they may only deal directly with the body shop.

 

That depends on the state. I've been in a few minor accidents in the past that weren't my fault, and I always demand to be paid directly. It is considered a "loss" and they have to pay.

If the vehicle is drivable get a couple of estimates and let them pay the lower. You shouldn't have to worry about "hidden" damages if you look the truck over and make sure your fenders, etc. are still where they should be and all the gaps between body panels are the same as before.

 

Usually the insurance company will send out an adjuster to write an estimate and they will pay off that estimate. In some cases I have seen insurance companies pay off of a body shop estimate.

If you have the truck financed they will want to make the check payable to the bodyshop and you or to the finance company and you. They do that to cover the finance companies interest in the vehicle.

 

DEMAND that YOU get the check. Body shops will appraise the damage wrong purposely so they get more money. My last accident (rear end collision) they said my tow bar was bent, so they added $300 to my estimate. When I got the truck back, they only did half the work they billed insurance for and they never put a new pull bar on. I went in there telling them I will report them for insurance fraud so the owner immediately called a truck shop and got me a new tow bar 15 minutes later. If you have the check, you pay for the work they do, not what they appraise. So make sure you get the check from her insurance, don't give it to them up front. Inspect that truck like its new as soon as you get it back with the quote in your hand. Make sure that body shop does everything they charged insurance for. Otherwise, they're making a quick buck. Not all shops do this, but it doesn't hurt to be careful.

If you have any questions, PM me or Patman, we've each been in about 4 wrecks each

 

dont brag about that bro lol

to the OP best of luck

 

i have full covrage on my truck i woulda taged her at 40ish. i love when people cut me off in nice cars. my truck is a worth oh lets say 3,000 and it has full covrage....i am not afraid to bend it into your 40,000+ car.

but glad to see your ok. i prob woulda done the same thing. no one wants to get in an accident.

never been in a full on accident had a few close calls. but nothing major yet.