I've just read your woeful story: how absolutely galling for you. And I am worrying about a door ding (obviously deliberate) in the 996 I am driving for a week! You have my utmost sympathy.

I am reluctant to say that no matter how well repaired, your car will never be the same again, but I feel I must. You will always be hyper-sensitive to any flaw; and believe me, you will attribute any flaw you find to the accident. This will drive you nuts. Even if there is no flaw, you will imagine there are thousands.

I had a pretty serious accident in a SLK230 about three years ago (my fault, nobody else involved, spun on a wet bend and hit a tree--what an idiot). The frame (chassis?) was bent. The car was repaired by a bodyshop which is often awarded "Best UK Bodyshop" status by no less than Porsche. These guys are miracle workers. But the car was not the same, and they accept that they can only repair and not make new. Needless to say, six months later we traded the car against a new one.

As regards your personal injuries, I too am an attorney (or Barrister in the UK), and I am utterly cynical about whiplash injuries. I am fed up with acting for people who have had a stiff neck (at most) for a week or two, and winning 2-3k for them. There is and never has been anything wrong with these greedy people. In the two crashes I have had, I suffered no injury; but then on both occasions it was my fault! If you're genuinely injured, then claim; if not, don't.

Anyway, best of luck with your car and the subsequent wrangling with the various insurance companies.

__________________
JJ Rodger
2013 G350 Bluetec
1999 SL 500
1993 E300 diesel T
1990 190