MY CAR ACCIDENT & REPAIR

[ImStricken06]

coming back from grabbing lunch and we are crossing a major highway. we cross safely, and were approaching a jug-handle intersection. the people have a stop sign (i have the right of way). while traveling about 40mph, i see this purple kia,inching past her stop sign line. i place my right hand on the horn in anticipation to wake her up. well, looks like i was right - the woman proceeds to leave the stop sign..... (ugh)... i veer left towards the center line (i have oncoming traffic in the opposing side - so i wasn't able go around her completely). BOOM! i burst out an expletive, and check on ms.imstricken. no airbag deployment, so pretty much we are whole. i stayed in the car for a moment to see if the woman was going to try and drive off. the woman moves back a few feet, and gets out, so i join her. i asked her if she was ok, told her to stay out of traffic; and called the local police. the cops come, and issue her tickets. we are soar, but at least we are whole.

from what i could tell (too frustrated to even worry about it right now)
front fender
front bumper
windshield washer bottle
fog light
clips/brackets/etc
door has shaved paint from were the fender pushed up against the door
headlight

[zengshengliu]

Hope that everything is alright for you

This is the problem when we drive a car. No matter how safe we drive, we just can't avoid other stupid driver from "touching" you.
I personally got into accidents 3 times (all real ended by someone else), 2 are cars, and one is bus. Good thing its on slow speed so not much damage.
Since then I have put up 2 dash cam on mine, one on front, and on one rear, in case someone try to blame it on me.

Make sure to check if the coolant is leaking or not, since it is right there.

[ImStricken06]

my dash cam broke a few weeks back and i never bothered to replace it. i drive like a grandpa 90% of the time, so i avoid a lot of incidents by having enough space from bumping someone else, and enough space to brake. this woman was not looking my way at all. she just bolted out.

if i did veer even further left, over the center line, she would have t-boned us in the rear quarter, and essentially conducted a "pit-maneuver" and we would have flipped over.

i gotta say, my lower back is tight, and really hurting. i didnt say anything at the scene- but now its starting to show its ugly head. this is the last darn thing i need.

[zengshengliu]

Make sure to get yourself checkout.
You just can't avoid others from hitting you if they are not paying attention to the road.
They should be banned from getting onto the road
(especially no license, expired tag, her car should get tow away)

[Qashqai]

ImStricken!

I am so sorry. Thank God nothing happened to both of you. As you said, it could be worse.

I had a similar accident (corner of the front bumper) with my Rogue. I am familiar with this type of damage. The brackets that hold your passenger side headlight is 100% broken as well. There is a plastic piece under the radiator (to deflect the wind I think) is probably broken. These are the two thing that my body shop missed. But once they remove the bumper, you can check.

Please go to your family doctor and ask him/her to refer you and Ms. ImStricken to a physiotherapist. At least go for a check (insurance will pay). You may not feel bad now, but it may get worse in a few weeks.

The only relief I have is (besides you are safe), it could be your other car (the brand new Hyundai)...

[zengshengliu]

I almost got t-boned last week too.
It was a T intersection with All way stop sign
I stop at the intersection, saw no car, about to leave, suddenly a car show up out of no where, driving like 60 mph(speed limit was 25), speed pass right in front of me. Good thing I stop on time, or else I will be in bad shape.

[ImStricken06]

ImStricken!

I am so sorry. Thank God nothing happened to both of you. As you said, it could be worse.

I had a similar accident (corner of the front bumper) with my Rogue. I am familiar with this type of damage. The brackets that hold your passenger side headlight is 100% broken as well. There is a plastic piece under the radiator (to deflect the wind I think) is probably broken. These are the two thing that my body shop missed. But once they remove the bumper, you can check.

Please go to your family doctor and ask him/her to refer you and Ms. ImStricken to a physiotherapist. At least go for a check (insurance will pay). You may not feel bad now, but it may get worse in a few weeks.

The only relief I have is (besides you are safe), it could be your other car (the brand new Hyundai)...

thanks for the great advice and warm wishes!

[followingnfront]

Damn dude im sorry to hear that. Go to the ER pronto. I dont lnow how it is in NJ but in NY I think you have 36 hours after an accident to claim injury?

[darylzero]

s***! that sucks. Very happy to hear you both are basically OK. Make sure you tell your insurance what the cop said to that b****. Get yourself checked out, tell your insurance right away that you don't feel right. You will pay your deductible and her insurance will pay the rest, including all your hospital/rehab bills no matter how long they last.
Glad your both OK

[Rogue One]

Wow! Glad to here it wasn't too serious. As the others have advised, PLEASE take yourself and the Missus in for a medical exam ASAP!

Speaking from personal experience, symptoms may not show immediately. In '91 a kid ran a blind intersection and I T-boned him. My car was totaled and I declined a trip to hospital as I felt fine. The next day my entire right arm swelled up like a balloon. 22 years later and I'm still dealing daily with the pain.

And as much as I loath lawyers, a free consult might be in order.

[DTASFAB]

Sorry this happened. Aren't you glad you weren't driving the Hyundai?! The other driver may very well be a total b****, and I'm not defending her actions, but she probably knew not to apologize, because doing so could be an indication that she's accepting fault. From a legal standpoint, the most important thing is to not admit fault, even if you know you're 100% responsible for the accident. It's just like driving through a DWI checkpoint. Simply say nothing. Exercise your right to remain silent, even if you have nothing to hide.

Definitely talk to a lawyer. Get a copy of the police report ASAP and consult with a lawyer as soon as you have that. Depending on state law, you might be entitled to recover your deductible from the other driver's insurance. I believe NJ is a no-fault state, correct?

Get an MD to refer you to a good chiropractor (easier said than done, considering how they hate the "quacks") and get yourself and Ms. Stricken taken care of by someone who uses a gentle approach to spinal adjustments. Network Spinal Analysis is a great technique as well that can have long-term benefits that go way beyond ordinary chiropractic, but it requires on-going treatment for several months or years. Try to stay in-network with your insurance if you can, but most likely you can't. The best chiro docs typically don't take any insurance, but their prices tend to be reasonable. Keep receipts and you'll have proof of medical expenses when fighting the insurance for a bigger settlement.

Post on fatwallet.com/forums/finance for free armchair legal advice if you like. There's a long thread there discussing how to maximize your compensation for diminished value of the vehicle, since it won't be worth as much even after it's properly repaired. Nobody wants to pay full price for a used car with a serious accident on its record, so you can recover that amount as well. Good luck.

[ImStricken06]

Sorry this happened. Aren't you glad you weren't driving the Hyundai?! The other driver may very well be a total b****, and I'm not defending her actions, but she probably knew not to apologize, because doing so could be an indication that she's accepting fault. From a legal standpoint, the most important thing is to not admit fault, even if you know you're 100% responsible for the accident. It's just like driving through a DWI checkpoint. Simply say nothing. Exercise your right to remain silent, even if you have nothing to hide.

i agree with you 100%, but there are sincere ways to try and convey your apology to someone without saying sorry. she didnt even as us if we are injured. she didnt even ask if there was anything she could do to make it better. totally the type to believe "its never my fault, the world owes me everything". she argued with the cop, and the cop goes = its 100% your fault, there is no arguing about it. its your fault- and if the roles were reversed you'd be singing a different song right now. suck it up, or argue in court if you wasnt, but you'll lose."

Definitely talk to a lawyer. Get a copy of the police report ASAP and consult with a lawyer as soon as you have that. Depending on state law, you might be entitled to recover your deductible from the other driver's insurance. I believe NJ is a no-fault state, correct?

yea i contacted my attorney already. i hope i can collect my deductible, because $500 can buy a ton of cool ish, than just a stupid deductible lol

Get an MD to refer you to a good chiropractor (easier said than done, considering how they hate the "quacks") and get yourself and Ms. Stricken taken care of by someone who uses a gentle approach to spinal adjustments. Network Spinal Analysis is a great technique as well that can have long-term benefits that go way beyond ordinary chiropractic, but it requires on-going treatment for several months or years. Try to stay in-network with your insurance if you can, but most likely you can't. The best chiro docs typically don't take any insurance, but their prices tend to be reasonable. Keep receipts and you'll have proof of medical expenses when fighting the insurance for a bigger settlement.

awesome advice. thanks a bunch.

Post on fatwallet.com/forums/finance for free armchair legal advice if you like. There's a long thread there discussing how to maximize your compensation for diminished value of the vehicle, since it won't be worth as much even after it's properly repaired. Nobody wants to pay full price for a used car with a serious accident on its record, so you can recover that amount as well. Good luck.

BINGO! diminished value was the first thing on my mind. thanks a bunch again!

[ROGUEPLANET]

I would of sprayed her in the face with pepper spray and told the cop she lunged at you.

[TrevorK]

I hope you guys are OK, and even if you feel OK, seek a medical opinion.

And I love that picture of the accident with the stop sign in clear view

[ImStricken06]

And I love that picture of the accident with the stop sign in clear view

ive responded to enough accident calls to know better lololol

[sprocket]

I'm glad it wasn't too bad of an accident and hope to a speedy recovery and repair.

Also, check your eyes .... that Kia is NOT purple

[ImStricken06]

I'm glad it wasn't too bad of an accident and hope to a speedy recovery and repair.

Also, check your eyes .... that Kia is NOT purple

camera phone didnt pick up on it, but it was this strange plum/purple color- i swear lol.

i found you a better pic online:

[MHC F150]

Dang dude, that sucks! Glad you're okay and good luck with the repairs and healing.

Man, I hate bad/careless/idiot drivers. All my accidents, which include some vehicles being totaled, have been from other inattentive drivers.

[ImStricken06]

sorry i removed this thread, but its back now. i went through her insurance. you guys can see the damage up top, and here is a pic of some repair i did. i took a heat gun at 1000degrees and started melting the plastic bumper cover. i basically melted it and fused the tear, with my finger(while wearing a glove). i then sanded it, and added some JB-Weld into the section that were slightly pitted/low. this was just an experiment, but it turned out actually impressive.



updated: 10/15/2013

[ImStricken06]

So Far Parts Update:

Headlight: $256.95(shipped)
(OEM HID used off of ebay. includes ballast, no bulb)

Bumper Cover: $100
(Aftermarket, non painted)

Fender: $75
(aftermarket, non painted)

Paint: $475
(done at buddies shop. usually its around $600)

Windshield Washer Bottle: $116.10
(oem, from the dealer) [comes with pump already]

Bumper Bracket: $12 (i will try and reuse the one on the car now)
(oem, from the dealer)

Wheel Well, Splash Guard: $30.09
(aftermarket, ebay)

30 New Push Pins: $3.99
(ebay, aftermarket)

Foglights: i fixed the right one.
(i used JB-Weld to reattach a broken clip. i also sanded down the lenses and polished and waxed them. now they are nice & shiny!)
------------------------------------
total: $1057.xx

[darylzero]

What is the insurance giving you? $4,000?

[ImStricken06]

What is the insurance giving you? $4,000?

$2,358 with the option to get more if more damage is found inside.

[darylzero]

Really that's it!? With all that damage if you took it to the Nissan dealer and they put all genuine parts back on it and their labor cost, it would be at least 4K.

[ImStricken06]

most insurance companies wont pay for new oem parts. the dealer would repair using junkyard sourced parts. thats how it works. when you get an estimate they ask you: "would you like new aftermarket parts, or oem parts?" some of the higher end policies might allow for that, but 90% dont unless you demand it in your policy and that would cost an arm and a leg. a new headlight from nissan ALONE is over $1,000. now imagine a mercedes/audi LED headlight? or mercedes parts? policies would be THROUGH THE ROOF if they allowed dealers to make brand new oem repairs.

[ImStricken06]

update:

@1:00pm: "its gonna be a long day"
removed: tire/rim, fender, wheel-well splash guard, washer bottle, ...




@1:30: "installed new washer bottle & hoses. bent couple metal brackets back into place, etc.

@2:00pm: "remind me to never order aftermarket whee-well splash guards"
the holes didnt line up right. the thing was slightly smaller in some area's. the thing was a total B_tch.

@2:30pm: "ok self, its really time to invest in a hot staple-gun to repair plastics"
so last night i applied JB-Weld to the broken foglight tab, and its sold. today i drilled 4 tiny holes and used
safety wire to make sure that its really-really not going to break off anytime soon


@3:00p: "i might as well, since i have so many kits just sitting in a big box"


@4:00: "repaired the driver side splash guard with just a cutout piece from the aftermarket i ordered. no way in heck im going to bust my balls installing a whole splash guard again."


@5:00: "thank god, im done for today"


NEXT: headlight is coming Wednesday, and then off to the paint shop! then i can pop in the grille, mud flap, and a few small screws.

[Rogue Three]

Not bad for doing it yourself!

[ROGUEPLANET]

most insurance companies wont pay for new oem parts. the dealer would repair using junkyard sourced parts. thats how it works. when you get an estimate they ask you: "would you like new aftermarket parts, or oem parts?" some of the higher end policies might allow for that, but 90% dont unless you demand it in your policy and that would cost an arm and a leg. a new headlight from nissan ALONE is over $1,000. now imagine a mercedes/audi LED headlight? or mercedes parts? policies would be THROUGH THE ROOF if they allowed dealers to make brand new oem repairs.

I had a HID headlight assy i would of sold you cheap.

[Jerry98vert]

Very nice job, goes to show you if you want it done right you do it yourself.

[kots1]

So Far Parts Update:

30 New Push Pins: $3.99
(ebay, aftermarket)

------------------------------------
total: $1182.13

Can you provide a link for the aftermarket push pins? Is this the same as the retainers used to hold the fender cover? I broke some retainers while removing the fender cover to replace my drive belt. Thanks!

[ImStricken06]

popped in the headlight last night. (next is paint, and to install the grille and mud-flap)
the used headlight i got on ebay came in darn near brand new condition. it was spotless.