Wrecked my truck yesterday

[Thomas]

Glad your okay...could have been real nasty.
I agree let the insurance agents handle,and assit on no after market parts,plus ask for rental to fit your needs at her cost.

 

[Gator6x4]

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?

My suggestion would be to take the truck to the dealer for repairs. I say this because you mention trading in the near future. Have the sales manager provide you with what he would have allowed before the accident on a trade and what he will now allow because of the accident. If the amount allowed will be less, start a diminished value claim discussing with the insurance company. Be forewarned they are going to resist, scream, shout and holler. If the sales manager at the dealership provides you with good documentation, I would simply reply, fine I will seek legal representation and you can pay them, plus the diminished value of the vehicle.

 

[GLyford]

I was told by a body mechanic "5 MPH is a good hit." In other words, still enough energy to really mess things up. Since you say the steering is now off, I am guessing the frame is tweaked.

Tree broke windshield...by hitting it directly, or by bending the windshield frame out of square? Any other front end damage from the tree? I think you may be building a good case to total it, but since it was a valuable truck to start with, I can't begin to know where an adjuster would draw that line.

Good luck getting all this straightened out. Given the state of the world these days, I don't see any way out of you taking at least some sort of financial hit in all this. Sad to say, lost trade-in value might be one of the better scenarios. I hope not, but...

 

[Cord]

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,

Yes, you will need to pay your collision deductible, however once your company gets refunded by her company you'll get the money back. Otherwise just go through her company and then the deductible issue goes away.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Don't let her insurance company tell you where to take the truck to get fixed. You take it to wherever you want, they're trying to fix your truck as cheap as they can. I wouldn't be happy with anything less than a brand new truck but that's just me.

 

[GManBart]

No matter what, make sure they check that the frame wasn't bent. I see so many vehicles riding around with the rear tires offset from the front tires that it's hard to believe....

 

[ultrarunner]

All kinds of scenarios come into play with a new vehicle... it is not unheard for for warranty work to be denied due to damage... one way around is to have the shop Ford certified or use the Dealer...

Seen it happen in a couple of arbitrations... manufacturer said vehicle suffered collision damage and was not repaired to their standard...

Don't see successful diminished value settlements unless you are going after another person and preferably with insurance.

The comprehensive on my policy exclude diminished value claims...

 

[Licklog]

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,

Who is your insurance company. I want to make sure I never use them. That is what they are for. You may have to pay for your deductible up from but will be reimbursed by her insurance company when all is said and done. Just went through a claim last October where my 2012 Kia was totalled. My adjuster handled everything. The other party's insurance paid for everything including my deductible.

 

[MossRoad]

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

That's the way to do it. You're insurance company should handle everything and go after her insurance company for reimbursement.

 

[MossRoad]

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,

Wow. That's interesting. If you went that way, then how would you get your deductible back, sue her?