Our First Accident - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

mplafleur · #16 07-03-2003, 03:40 PM

Don,

Sorry to hear about the car. Glad your daughter is OK.

I'm interested in finding out about this insurance dilema. We pay far too much for insurance here. They want >$600/year just for liability on the '80 240D that my son drives. In two years, I will have paid more than I paid for the car.

Rick Miley · #17 07-03-2003, 03:49 PM

Sounds just like me. About $50 per month for minimum required coverage on a car I bought for $500.

#18 07-03-2003, 04:07 PM

If it makes anyone feel better--The tag for my 98 E300 was $980 last year. I have to renew it in August. It will 'only' be $850 then. Of course, there is also insurance, ect......

speedy300Dturbo · #19 07-03-2003, 05:02 PM

PLEASE take your daughter to a doctor soon! The pains usually don't show up until a while AFTER the accident!!!

diesel don · #20 07-03-2003, 07:04 PM

Sokoloff:

We're in a no fault state which means regardless of who was to blame, each covers their own insurance with the myraid of choices

Don

JimSmith · #21 07-03-2003, 07:14 PM

Don,

It is experiences like the one you have shared with us on this thread that make the selection of an MB, vs. just about anything else on the market, justified. I am glad to hear your daughter is ok, and like has already been said the car did all of what it was designed to do to protect her.

When you look over the universally employed, significant safety features of automobiles on the road today, they are virtually all the result of pioneering work done by Mercedes-Benz. The structure of the vehicles follow the energy absorbing front and rear ends attached to the rigid passenger compartment, the ABS systems, the independent suspension systems, and the latest round of microprocessor run stability controls systems. The list goes on to the way the interior parts and switches are designed, the door handles that open backwards, emergency brake mechanisms that use chains, seats that really support you in a rear end collision, headrests that work, and so on. Just look at the rear end of virtually every car now with a trunk lid that goes down to the bumper - they all have the angled quarter panels, although some use facia and lighting panels to disguise them. But that is the only way to maintain the structural rigidity and integrity needed while eliminating the cross member between the tail lights.

It takes a little extra effort to maintain a record like that and the fact that MB lets everyone use their safety systems shortly after MB introduces them also says something for the company's long term view of automotive safety and committment to it. Even the SL's seats with integral seat belts are now being used throughout the industry. The point here is that while other companies use a part or idea here and there, you still can only get the complete, integrated package from Mercede-Benz. That is what makes me come back, even when they do dumb things like make me take the intake manifold off the engine to get to the fuel lines or glow plugs.

Be tenacious with the insurance company. They should be so lucky as to get by with what looks like a really serious collision and have no serious personal injury claims. They should be happy to enable you to replace that car, not looking to cheat you out of what is due.

Hope this gets resolved more in your favor, although I can understand how relieved you must be to have your daughter safe and sound. Good luck, Jim

gsxr · #22 07-03-2003, 07:15 PM

Don, I don't understand "no fault state" - please explain. If you were hit from the rear, THEY are responsible to replace your car (probably $3-4000 for a turbo 123). Do you mean that you'd have to sue them, rather than just file a claim with their insurance company? You must have some legal recourse, it's just a matter of how to proceed.

BTW - Speedy is 110% correct, your daughter and passengers need to get to a doctor and/or chiropractor IMMEDIATELY. Often the damage takes days or weeks to show up. DO NOT mess around with this. The at-fault party (sorry, he's not "no faulting" out of this!) should cover 100% of medical expenses plus some amount for pain & suffering, etc.

I just went through the same exercise when I got rear-ended 2 weeks ago. I'm fighting with their adjuster now (State Farm), since my car was mostly restored and mechanically mint, and we have very different opinions of "replacement cost". Photos of my incident are here:

http://www.meimann.com/images/mercedes/87_300D_white/wreck_june_2003/

I had minor neck & back injuries but I got to a chiropractor 24 hours later, and have been undergoing treatment since then. It's good to have X-rays taken ASAP in case proof is needed for a court session in the future... start documenting now, it will not hurt to have too much information should it be needed!

BoostnBenz · #23 07-03-2003, 08:26 PM

You can't sue them for the money, they aren't at fault. While it is obvious that the other party is literally at fault but in law you can't sue them for it unless it is for injuries, suffering, or medical treatments. However in this aspect you can get sue happy and sue anyone related to that car. If two names are on the title, or the person driving was different than the person it was registered to.

Michigan auto law in a nutshell (for plpd), unless your car was parked when it was hit (only if you were out of it and catch the person who hit it, because then it is viewed as property) you have to pay everythingto get it repaired, other party pays you $500 mini-tort. Not very fair, not very logical, but it is the way the law is.

It seems like I've heard stories of people being able to pull out another $1000 or so in small claims, maybe worth thinking about.

My 300D costs me $200 extra per year for plpd.

Cressida · #24 07-03-2003, 09:57 PM

Quote:

[Michigan auto law in a nutshell (for plpd), unless your car was parked when it was hit (only if you were out of it and catch the person who hit it, because then it is viewed as property) you have to pay everythingto get it repaired, other party pays you $500 mini-tort. [/B]

I've never heard of such a thing. Sounds unbelievable from where I am. This is in the US of A isn't it ?

For those saying run to the Doctor to get checked over, etc. , that is part of the problem in our country causing insurance rates to go up. I'm sorry to see that some view this as an opportunity to try and make a buck. I'd hoped the MB fellowship hasn't fallen to such level.

If you have an injury - for sure go to the doctor. If you are OK, thank your lucky stars and don't become part of the problem by going to a useless doctor or chryopractor. A doctor or quak sure isn't going to do much for you that common sense and a few days won't fix (unless of course trauma type of injuires)

diesel don · #25 07-03-2003, 10:41 PM

Interesting thread with lots to think about.

As I talk with the other's insurance company, I'll press a bit and see if they can cover the days without a car (rental stuff), etc.

As for suing, I don't need to go there....but I'd sure take anything towards getting me another one. The mini-tort is a start ($500).

Thanks for all the responses towards my daughter's safety. Much appreciated

Don

gsxr · #26 07-03-2003, 11:45 PM

Going to the doctor is not to extort money. It is a wise decision about healthcare. It's a proven fact that often these injuries can take days, weeks, or months to manifest. I did NOT feel fine when I got slammed from the rear at 55mph. I could barely move my neck the next day. I had to lift my head off the pillow with my hands. X-rays showed my vertebrae were waaaay out of alignment - straight, should be curved. Call them quacks if you want, but if you don't correct the problem, the body starts locking into the new (wrong) shape which is nearly impossible to correct once it progresses. Don't mess around with this stuff.

If it was really a light hit, and you really don't feel ANYTHING wrong after a week or so, you might be OK. I still wouldn't sign a medical release letting them off the hook for at least a year. Hopefully you will sign off later on and it will be a non-issue. Nothing worse than signing your rights away then finding out months later you require thousands of $$$ in treatment. Having a doctor examine you, and making the insurance pay for that exam (and treatment), is NOT abuse of insurance companies! Trying to squeeze tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in "damages" out of them for superficial injuries is abuse.

BoostnBenz · #27 07-04-2003, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cressida
For those saying run to the Doctor to get checked over, etc. , that is part of the problem in our country causing insurance rates to go up. I'm sorry to see that some view this as an opportunity to try and make a buck. I'd hoped the MB fellowship hasn't fallen to such level.

I don't know where you even got this implication from, if something is wrong you need to find the problem and do your best to fix it. Just as gsxr stated these problems take a while to arise, surely she or diesel don shouldn't be stuck with any of those medical bills. I also think it is pathetic when people LOOK for things to trip on just to make money. Without a doubt do the insurance rates suffer from people doing this sort of insurance fraud.

Quote:

don't become part of the problem by going to a useless doctor or chryopractor

I don't know where to even start with this comment, just absurd. Have you ever gone to the dentist or are they a waste too?

So what is the difference with trauma then? All they do is stop the bleeding right? Just carry a roll of duct tape with you and your all set, it is stitches and a bandage at the same time.... (btw, chiropractor is spelled like this)