Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
Options
Comments
My point is the at fault driver should pay not the innocent people.
I don't know what is the missing information you need to know. Your are a lot better than those people with judgemental attitude, at least you have a mind to inquire what happened. Those judgemental people might have already driven a lot of innocent people to pay for the insurance premium hikes. Those people might have little money and were driven to unbearable life as a result of the judgemental decisions of the police, so call witness, so call adjusters, so call experts who did not even go into details of the case.
Samnc, you just don't get it.
Actually if you hit a Porsche it's always your fault. That's the law.
(just kidding).
Background
1) - We have government insurance and all parties are covered by the same company.
2) - My annual premuims are ~$800 per year and the since my car cost more to fix than write off they have decided to write it off.
3) - They are offering me $4200 Cdn which is the value of a 1996 with the same mileage and mine is a 1998. They tell me the asking price of the replacement car can be negotiated but I can't repalce the car without getting about 30% discout for the car dealership.
4) - My wife suffered whiplash and was sore all over for about a week and is now having physio treatment. I have company insurance so the sessions cost the insurance company (government) nothing. The doctor said there is no serious damage but no x-rays were taken.
5) - After the accident we were told just go to the store and purchase neck braces, heating pads etc whatever we need and will be reinbursed.
6) - I called 10 days ago asking if we were entitled to a rental car and they said they would have to check. Today I phone again and they say, yes you are entitled to a rental car for two days after we give you out settlement price. By the way, your offer is $4200 which means the car must be back by Friday.
7) - I tried to remove the insurance from the written off Taurus and my insurance agent said they don't normally allow that until the claim is settled.
I am very angry with the treatment I have received & I'm looking for some ideas on how to get a fair deal.
Well let's see, a smashed up pick-up and some used furniture covered in chicken feathers. Oh yea, you can get 10% of his $7 an hour salary for the next twenty years, except he lost his job cause he can't get to work.
Marge: Homer, the plant called and said that if you don't come in by Friday, don't bother coming in on Monday!
Homer: Woo-hoo, a four day weekend!
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Who wants just 10%?...Here in Ga, the garnishment rate is 25% of your GROSS earnings prior to taxes...so we can garnish about $1.75 per hour out of his $7.00 per hour pay, assuming he keeps his job...
BTW, just to toot my horn (since no one else will), that is also why I recommend that everyone pay the $15-30 bucks per year for rental car insurance...I never cease to be amazed at the folks who "saved" this lousy $25 bucks, and then lose their job because they did not have adequate transportation after the wreck...even tho the at fault carrier will pay for a rental, sometimes they will not assume liability on Day 1, as they may have to do their own (legitimate) investigation, and sometimes the adjuster can't get to appraise your car for 3-5 days...annoying, but that is reality...
So, without your own rental insurance (or if the at-fault driver was uninsured, so even if you are innocent, the other guy will not be providing a rental for you) you may miss too much work and lose your job, making the economics even worse from the get-go...
Unless you have an extra vehicle or someone to rideshare, get the rental insurance and keep it forever...it is even cheaper than medpay...that way, your rental insurance gets you the transportation to keep your job and make your doctor appointments so your medpay can pay for your treatment...
Attaboy, Bob, I knew you'd tell 'em what they need to hear!!!!!
And then the garnishment goes away, when he goes through bankruptcy, right?
It all depends on the debt...I have many folks call me for bankruptcy, and when I question them, and find out that they owe less than the cost of bankruptcy, any ethical lawyer will (should) tell them that it is silly to pay me more money than you owe the creditor, simply pay out the garnishment and pay your debt in full and move on with your life...
At least, that's what I do...now, if the debt far exceeds the cost of bankruptcy, AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO PAY IT, bankruptcy may be an option...remember, ethically speaking, bankruptcy is for those who are UNABLE to pay their debts, not for those who are simply unwilling or those that find it inconvenient to pay their bills...
I ask these questions because I have kids just starting out who have no money and not a lot of income. So I am wondering what risks they are taking by having, say, 50/100/50 coverage.
My wife and I have plenty of money and plenty of insurance, but at some point I don't think we are responsible for the "kids" any more. Legally that is at age 18.
Ethically and morally...I don't know, I guess one could argue that as long as they are our dependents that we should be responsible, even if they are over 18???
I find that paying for the higher limits is just not that much more expensive...
Of course, I'm old..
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator
Oh, well.
I appreciate seeing in here the wisdom that I've lived by in insurance. I want to be able to be able to hit that Porsche and not pay! Hasn't happened yet...
I even carry collision on older cars.
fezo: I hate to disappoint you, but maintaining an ethical standard is quite easy if you don't want to sell your soul for money...hell, I want as much money as I can make, but, as I have said for years, "My services are for sale, my soul is not"...
It is one thing to be a shrewd lawyer and do all you can within the law for your client...it is another to simply break the rules for money, which is something I will not do...which is why I sleep well at night...
One of the reasons that Congress changed the bankruptcy laws effective Oct 17, 2005, 2 years ago, was that they wanted to rein in the Texas and Florida real estate exemptions...what folks in NY would do was sell their property in NY, move to FL or TX, buy a home with the cash, and then file bankruptcy 6 months later, keeping all of their home equity...
Congress put a time limit of 4 years for the unlimited exemption to take effect, and I believe that it is $125K for the time period of 6 months to the 4 year mark...
It is one thing to be a shrewd lawyer and do all you can within the law for your client...it is another to simply break the rules for money, which is something I will not do...which is why I sleep well at night...
I wonder if you know anyone (with accreditable status) can determine the speed of an old vehicle (a Lincoln sedan) hitting a very slow turning vehicle (a Nissan Versa - small one) that caused a lot of damage to the slow moving vehicle?
Apparently, the other car insurance company is more enthiusiastic to find out the cause of the accident. Maybe justice count on this comapny rather than my own insurance company.
That's just what OJ did. You should see his house in southern Florida.
I can jsut imagine what he's got down there.
Any ideas about this?
I think that was because NY only lets you keep 10K in home equity when you file. That's what I love about NY, they love the poor. So much so that they want all the middle class people to be poor too.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Bob?
Might this fall under the exclusions for losses due to criminal acts?
http://www.keenerlaw.com/hit_by_drunk_driver.htm
...insurance companies can claim in some DWI cases that if the accident was a "criminal act," then it is not covered in the policy and the insurance company is not liable for any of your injuries.
Boy, what a scum-sucking, weasely, stinking piece of rodent behavior that would be, to deny you coverage.
DUI: here in GA, if the at-fault driver is DUI, it is a slam dunk for me as a plaintiff's attorney...knowing that the guy who ran the red light and hit you was drunk means liability is not only assured, it is guaranteed by a higher power...:):):)... while it does not impute policy limits on minor injuries, juries are quite upset when the offending driver was drunk when he injured the other car, and the company insuring the DUI does NOT want to defend their driver in court, because of the possible bloody mess after the jury returns with their verdict...habitual DUI ???, meaning more than one in the last five years, there is no need to buy Lotto tickets anymore, at least for the Plaintiff...well, a slight exaggeration, but multiple DUI is not good for the offebding driver...
Plus, one other aspect...any automobile judgment against you that has DUI as a component CANNOT be discharged in Bankruptcy, unlike a regular judgment from a wreck... it becomes like alimony and child support, the debt will stay with you forever...
Well, even if they do the medical insurance might want repayment. Wal-Mart has won a lawsuit against an employee that recovers most of the net settlement with an at-fault trucking company leaving the disabled former employee without funds for care. read about this here
http://biz.yahoo.com/wallstreet/071120/sb119551952474798582_id.html?.v=9
Is she suing for damage to her car or for other things? Damage to her car and the medical bill for her visit should be handle through your insurance company. Anything else and it probably is excessive.
Could be a case of "lawyer lottery" where she tries to get some money from your insurance co. to go away. Years ago my father was sued by a woman who hit him and then sued for $1,000,000 because she chipped a tooth.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
great excuse.
"gee, I couldn't see because its night and my headlights don't work."
"I had my eyes closed."
"I'm legally blind."
There is no difference in any of those statements. If the conditions do not allow you to drive safely, then you shouldn't be driving under those conditions! What would you say if you ran over a pedestrian?? "Oh, sorry you're dead. The sun was too bright. But I had to get to starbucks, so I'm excused, right?"
I was not cited or ticketed or even at fault in their eyes
If they didn't find you at fault for hitting someone, they are either idiots or there is more to the story than you are giving us.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Every weekday morning, I travel East on a major E-W interstate to get from my house to my job. In the evening, I travel West. Each way, there's a period of about 15 minutes during which the sun is so glaring & blinding that it is extremely difficult to see - for everyone, not just me.
Are you suggesting that this major artery be vacated by drivers for the rush-hour period? Drivers tend to be extra cautious during those periods due to the decreased visibility.
But sometimes, despite one's best efforts, someone gets rear-ended. If you're going 55 in those conditions, then I'm thinking you're negligent. If you're going 10 MPH... well, it's just going to happen.
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
Naturally, the health insurance that paid the bills is entitled to collect whatever the at-fault party's insurance paid out to cover medical bills. Sob story or not, the injured party is not entitled to get their medical bills paid and then also collect for these same bills and put the money in their pocket.
Only by those who feel that they are not responsible for their actions under those conditions. ;b
If you're going 55 in those conditions, then I'm thinking you're negligent. If you're going 10 MPH... well, it's just going to happen.
That's just it. It is the driver's responsibility to drive as the conditions allow.
This is the same as driving in inclement weather. Is everyone who slides on ice and bangs into someone else exempt from responsibility? Of course not.
And, as with any conditions, you follow at a safe distance, put on your sunglasses, or whatever is required to operate your vehicle in a manner where you don't hit anyone.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
This is one of those cases where fault should be yours...
As far as health insurance, here in GA, ins companies are refusing to pay for med bills (auto accident related) until they determine if there is no liability ins to pay...I think it is wrong...you (or your employer) are paying premiums for it, you should be able to use it...
oldfarmer: please put this in context...it is one thing to "sue for a million", but did she actually get that kind of award from the jury???
An odd twist that may explain why attorneys sue for millions when the case is worth $15K...only a few years ago, an atty had an accident case go to a jury...he demanded $46K from the jury, and the jury came back with an award of $75K...she then sued her atty for NOT DEMANDING ENOUGH MONEY...so, it is now easier for us to demand a million, knowing we at least covered ourselves in terms of asking enough for a strained neck injury with a pinky hangnail
That's what I thought I was doing. My point was that people sue for reasons that seem silly sometimes. They also sue for personal gain hoping to make a killing. The woman I mentioned did get a settlement with my father's insurance. How much was never revealed. I bet it was more than the cost to cap her chipped tooth.
"...An odd twist may explain why attorneys sue for millions..."
I already explained this in post #2874. Please try to keep up, I'm tired of carrying you here. :P :P :P
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
While there are some who are trying to hit the lottery by filing in court, for the most part such cases are filed because the insurer won't pay what the claim is worth.
It is an interesting system, with detractors on both sides, that is, the legal system...people who are injured due to someone else's negligence (carelessness) deserve compensation...how much is always the question...
You would be surprised how often that ins company offers are less than the medical bills...I have a case right now with a mere $2,500.00 in treatment bills ($7K in vehicle damage, so the impact was pretty strong) and the insurance's best offer is $1,600.00.
If that was you and I was your atty, am I clogging up the courts by filing suit???...will you settle for the $1,600.00 and oay the remainder of the med bills out of your own pocket???...I would bet that you wouldn't...
So, you may read about the Mcdonald's coffee cases with ridiculous awards, but the only reason you DO read about them is that they are so rare, they are not the norm...
Even in medmal, in GA, despite all of the medical errors that we KNOW happen all the time, 90% off all medmal suit are decided for the Defendant Medical Doctor, meaning an award of ZIP for the injured party...
So, someone may have sued for a million for a chipped tooth, but to be enraged is silly, since suing for an amount has NO relation whatsoever to the amount they are finally awarded, and that amount may often be zero...
If she agreed $46k in the 1st place, I don't see why she should sue the attorney. She was greedy and I bet she lost the case against the attorney.
So now how an attorney could justify a $15k to a $m claim and in front of the jury, just greeds and not any sympathy for the case.
To be honest, I will not trust my attorney if he/she suggested 1$m for a $15k damage. He/she has lost his/her common senses.
This is from a layman's point of view.