Wrecked my truck yesterday

[bdog]

2015 F-250 platinum 4x4 diesel crew cab. 20k miles. I was on a two lane highway going 60-65 mph and a lady was getting her mail and did a U turn right in front of me. I braked and swerved as hard as I could and missed her with the front of my truck but her front bumper hit my rear drivers door and dented it in, damaged the cab corner, and the bottom door sill on the cab. I have a flatbed and once all this was dented in her bumper caught my flatbed and dented the front on it and damaged the built in toolbox and it will not open. after the collision I hit a tree in the ditch and busted my windshield. Luckily no one was hurt and my truck is still drivable but hers had to be hauled away on a wrecker. I can't see how it bent my frame or anything but my steering wheel seem to be canted just a bit to go straight. The impact wasn't really that hard. It didn't jolt me around much at all.

I have never had to deal with this before. She had insurance and I have the info. The DPS gave her a couple tickets I believe for failure to yield right of way and illegal u turn. Is my next step just to contact her insurance company? Any thing in particular I need to be careful about in handling this and making sure my truck is fixed properly? I was actually thinking of trading the truck in on a dually in the near future. I assume this damage and repair will show up on a car fax and reduce my trade in value? How is one compensated for that?

 

[davesl708]

Wow. Bad deal. I would think you will have to file a claim for diminished value with her insurance. You should be able to get advice from your agent on how to get compensated for it.

Hope you don't need to get a lawyer to get her insurance to pony up.

 

[George2615]

Contact your own insurance company. Let them do their job and go after her insurance company. After all, it was her fault.

 

[schmism]

you can be reimbursed for what they call "diminished value"

 

[bdog]

Contact your own insurance company. Let them do their job and go after her insurance company. After all, it was her fault.

That was my first thought and I called them because I figured they would be on my side. They told me however if they handled it I would be responsible for my deductible and told me to contact that at fault drivers insurance company,

 

[Bird]

When my truck was damaged (twice) by someone else, I simply took the truck to the dealer and gave them the other person's insurance information. So the dealer's body shop took care of contacting the insurance companies. One of the insurance companies did have an adjuster call me with some questions, and I emailed her a couple of photos. Of course I only wanted the damage repaired; nothing for diminished value.

 

[KennyG]

Do you have an agent or do you deal direct with your insurance company?

I make insurance agents earn their commission

Agreed. Even if the other company takes care of it your agent should facilitate it. If I got that response from my agent I would start shopping around.

 

[Streetcar]

If you do not have an agent, contact her insurance for claim.it is easier that way.
You will need to notify your insurance company anyway.

Good luck in getting diminished value, most companies will not pay it

 

[Diamondpilot]

If you do not have an agent, contact her insurance for claim.it is easier that way.
You will need to notify your insurance company anyway.

Good luck in getting diminished value, most companies will not pay it

I agree. The other thing is while the work is being done they will put you in a economy car. I get a affidavit from my employer saying my truck is needed for my job. It's really not but I bought a truck for a reason, not a economy car. This way I get another truck to drive during my inconvenience. I demand 4x4 diesel like I bought in the 1st place.

Don't let them push you around.

Chris

 

[tractorshopper]

My truck is not new by any stretch so I am not in the same boat as you, but if I had your truck with only 20k miles, I'd be pushing hard for some offset money from them because surely this will be on carfax and count against you when you go to trade or sell. If they won't do such a thing, then I'd be pushing for them to total it. If that didn't work, then I'm sure a little "pain and suffering" could offset it.