Ram Wreck

[danl]

Last Thursday I was headed back to my office when my 3rd grade teacher ran a red light and from all appearances totaled my 2013 Ram 4x4, Think it totaled her 2014 Caddie with only 1200 miles on it also.

Btw I'm 57 and its been almost fifty years since I was in her class.

Her insurance has accepted liability and I have a rental truck. I haven't got the final word yet but the body shop manager says he doesn't want to try to fix my truck and he is calling it totaled if their adjuster will go along.

I am appealing to the vast collective of knowledge here on how to not get shafted.. I don't want anything extra, I just want back what I had.
My wrist hurts and my ribs are still sore, but I not even going there. I hurt all the time anyway...

My truck was in extremely good shape and only had 16,000 miles on it. Also way more than half paid for. I would like to end up with a new truck and not paying and arm and a leg difference. I expect to pay. just not a kings ransom. I may just be had, I don't know.

I try to keep my trucks forever, My Silverado was 12 years old when I traded it in on the Ram and my Toyota truck is 24 years old.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Good luck. They want you to settle for as little as possible.

 

[MO_cows]

Go look up blue book value of your truck. With so few miles on it you should be smiling. Make sure you tick off all the optional equipment and upgrades it has, those really add up.

www.kbb.com

 

[wacocowboy]

They should give you at least the blue book value of your truck and you can look that up to compare to what they offer you. I would let them total the old truck after a major accident they never are the same. I just hope you are not upside down meaning you owe more than the truck is worth if you are I hope you have gap insurance. If you are not upside down you can take the extra money and use it for a down payment on a new truck. My wife has totaled 5 vehicles since December of 2010 so I have kinda figured this stuff out. If they try to screw you over just don't sign anything or take any money and then get a lawyer.

 

[papavillars]

When my truck was totaled the adjuster called four dealerships with me present asked for the selling price of an exact like truck. He then took the top three, averaged them and that is what we settled for the price. It seemed fair to me .

 

[Hook]

When my truck was totaled the adjuster called four dealerships with me present asked for the selling price of an exact like truck. He then took the top three, averaged them and that is what we settled for the price. It seemed fair to me .

Doesn't get more fair than that

 

[Dave]

Tell the insurance adjuster that your ribs hurt and your neck too. And after he hears you loud and clear ask him what he wants to give you for the truck to get it all settled. And don't trust the adjuster and I don't care how nice he might seem.

 

[wacocowboy]

Tell the insurance adjuster that your ribs hurt and your neck too. And after he hears you loud and clear ask him what he wants to give you for the truck to get it all settled. And don't trust the adjuster and I don't care how nice he might seem.

Not all adjusters are nice. On my 21st birthday I was going out to party and a drunk hit me before I even got to the club. His insurance guy decided to cuss me out.

 

[Bigfoot]

The first offer, is only an offer. You can "try" to get more. May not work. I sold everything but my pride to an insurance company once. Their sometimes not bad to work with.

 

[SmokinM]

If you are not at fault they don't have much leverage. They have to give you what you want as long as it is reasonable to replace it. Find a few with the same trim and similar miles/year. Print it out and know what you are willing to take and don't back down. Like was mentioned don't forget if you have upgrades to include them. With that few a miles on it new less about $5k would be where I would start.

 

[boondocks]

Get to a doctor to have your neck, ribs etc checked out. You could have a cracked rib. Neck injuries can flare up big time. I got rear ended twice (not even totalled) and my neck and back sometimes act up ever since.

You will also have leverage if they try to hose you on the truck. Whatever you do, don't sign off on medical injuries until you're 800% sure you're every bit as good as you were before.

If you're 57 and she was your teacher, maybe this is a wake up call that it's time to give up the caddie? Must be getting up there

 

[greybeard]

Call Missouri's version of the Texas Hammer. (I dunno if he's any good, but his ads are entertaining)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tY3tSixSlY

 

[danl]

I'm not upside down by any means, gave around 36k for it and owe about 15k. Been paying extra.
She needs to give it up she is 83. My father in law is a good driver at 82. She is not, plus she has an attitude. Got hateful with the cop, said I ran the red light and hit her. Lucky for me I had three witnesses who said otherwise.

Am I being delusional to hope to replace it with me spending about 5k difference?
The adjuster said he no longer did estimates,he relies on the body shop. The body shop manager said he didn't want to try and fix it. Too much damage.

 

[greybeard]

I've seen adjusters total a vehicle when there wasn't much structural or even cosmetic damage but they totaled it because the air bags deployed.

 

[TexasBred]

I'm not upside down by any means, gave around 36k for it and owe about 15k. Been paying extra.
She needs to give it up she is 83. My father in law is a good driver at 82. She is not, plus she has an attitude. Got hateful with the cop, said I ran the red light and hit her. Lucky for me I had three witnesses who said otherwise.

Am I being delusional to hope to replace it with me spending about 5k difference?
The adjuster said he no longer did estimates,he relies on the body shop. The body shop manager said he didn't want to try and fix it. Too much damage.

Probably a little bit high.It lost that much value the minute you drove it home from the dealer. But it won't hurt to try.

 

[gus2121]

Not sure about your state. A truck that year model should only need 70% of the value in damage to be a total. Keep the personal injury claim open as an option until after settlement on your vehicle. Make them run comparables on your vehicle as that always brings up the value!!

I was an adjuster :hide:

 

[danl]

The adjuster called and said the body shop said could be fixed, but didn't really want to. Estimate is $16600.00. He is afraid of hidden damage. He said it is very common to find a lot more than is visible at first glance.

Adjuster said he is leaning toward totaling it. but has to look at it first. He said he didn't want to fix it and me have problems which causes the body shop problems which end up causing him problems...
He seems like a nice guy, I hope....

 

[Commercialfarmer]

That sounds like it might work out for you.

Guy rear ended me yesterday. Long story short, he wasn't acting right and lying to me, so I dialed 911 real quick to report it. Soon as the operator asked about the second question, he took off. I chased for him a few minutes, but it wasn't going to be worth someones life and he was putting people in real danger so I stopped.

 

[wacocowboy]

CF I hope you got his plate.