BAM! I got rearended - what to do.

OK so I am stopped in traffic, always on the look-out for crazy on-their-cell-phone drivers trying to drive, when I look behind me and see the headlights of the car disappear. BAM!!!

I don't get mad. I check me, I am ok. I look for immediate damage, as I get out of my car, no side crumple, that's good. The lady gets out of her 99 Grand-Am. She seems a little panicked (she should be, she just hit my '85 Porsche!). I glance at the rear-end of my car, in the dark it appears to be OK.

We exchange information, I ask if everyone in her car is OK.

I check the rest of my car. The driver side bumperette is marked. No cracks on the lenses. I check all known "crumple-zones" fender lips, rear-fenders etc. All appears OK.

So now what? Should I have a body shop check it out? Bumper shocks, etc?

Should I have a complete pre-purchase type inspection (thinking about suspension, transmission mounts, etc.)?

Anyone know a good P-shop in the Sacramento (east Sacramento) area?

As I write this (accident happened five hours ago) my entire back is stiffening up.
I hope I am better after a good nights rest.

Nick

First of all you MUST go to a doctor to have a checkover! No matter how insignificant the crash might have been! Trust me on this one... I have a friend who got rearended as she waited at a red light. Low speed, minor damages, but whiplash, which means constant headache and problems with concentrating. Do it even if you feel all right.

As for the car you should take it to a Porsche dealership and have a representative from your insurance look at the car. He will make a report on the damages which hopefully the other part of the accident will have to cover with hear insurance. You might do it differently in the US, but this is how we do it here...

UH OH!!! BETTER CALL THE LAWYERS!!! SPOKEN LIKE A TRUE AMERICAN(MIKKEL??????) SUE HER FOR ALL SHE'S WORTH!!!!!

THE BUMPERS ON OUR CARS COULD HOLD UP A FIVE STORY BUILDING AND I DO HOPE YOUR BACK FEELS BETTER!!!!

CALL 1-800-SCUMBAG(LAWYER) THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS LAYERS WORKING HARD ON THEIR SIDE, SHOULDN'T YOU???? :-))))

GIVE ME A BREAK!!!

Stop shouting!

If there is suspected damage to either your car or your self, you need to take it to a professional to be checked.

Simply call her insurance company, advise them of the claim, and they will send and adjuster out to look at your car. Preferably, have the adjuster meet you at a shop you trust.

Go to a doctor. Your body is not something to be messed with. I dinged my wrist when I got hit on my shifter (damaging the tranny too) and asked for some compensation for that. I got some.

I was also in the middle of a shift when I was hit - and suddenly my 2nd gear synchro didn't work so well anymore. Don't be afraid to raise a flag over *anything* that was changed.

Call the insurance company. It's not hard. You just dial, and bam - they take care of you.

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Mark Szabo
1986 911 Targa 3.2
1987 Escort 5-speed 1.9
The 911 Gallery

Nick,

If you are considering an attorney, I would strongly recommend against it. I've just concluded a 15 month adventure with an attorney after being rear-ended while sitting on my Ducati at a red light. Bottom line: Insurance companies HATE lawyers, so you will be better off communicating with the lady's insurance company yourself. Definitely go and seek medical attention and follow up at a good chiropractor for at least 8 weeks.

In my case, I spent 6 months at the chiropractor and was in quite a good amount of pain. When all was said and done, I received compensation for all my medical bills, plus about $1,100. If it ever happens again, I will definitely not hire an attorney. I only hired him in the first place to 'protect' myself. Bad idea. Bloodsuckers.



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-Richard
'84 Carrera Cabriolet
'74 Coupe

My experience is it sometimes takes a couple of days for the real pain to start to show up. Maybe a couple of massages or extensive therapy your Dr will help there. The car is about the same, maybe some dammage like an even hit that you can't see but your engine hood won't close right. Look at the seams between the hood all the way around the lid. Should be equal distance all the way around. This kind of accident gets down to someone to measuring specs about gaps and distance. If everything operates ok, what you find acceptable. Good luck, But good thing your asking what to do. This will be a learning experiance for you. You probbly won't know the correct answers till a few months from now, but maybe you will get pretty close now.

Mike Miller
89 911

Go on please make fun of me...

First of all: I couldn't judge from the text how bad it actually was.

Also I had no thoughts whatsoever on calling lawyers etc. etc. I simply reacted that way because:

1. Such a rearend impact can seriously damage your neck and sometimes be a pain for the rest of your life, EVEN IF IT SEEMS IT WASN'T THAT BAD IN THE FIRST PLACE!!! (Talk to my friend and her doctor so you understand what I mean). Forget the lawyers and avoid the pain instead by paying attention IN TIME!!! To avoid whiplash problems you need treatment as soon as possible. That's what the doctors told my friend. So I'm only trying to help a fellow enthusiast.

2. When 2 cars crash together it is normal (at least here in Denmark) to have a representative from your insurance to look at your car in order to estimate the damages (regardless if the drivers agree or disagree on guilt). This is only to make a report. Then later the insurance companies of the 2 involved cars will decide who should cover what and how.

However I might call my lawyer to complain over your horassments on this board...

Well,

I figured I should call her insurance company. I did that. Made a claim number, etc. Now I am off to my doctors and see what an HMO can do for me. My entire back is stiff and a little sore.

I will be taking the car to the Porsche Dealership as suggested by everyone. I still don't see any damage to the vehicle. I think the bumper shocks need to be replaced. I'll find out.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks to all who replied.
Nick

You're making the right decisions.

the insurance company may try to close the claim soon. Don't do this. Leave the claim open until you are sure the full extent of the damage is known, and its impact to you. Questions they might ask such as "How do you feel?" are trick questions.

I'm not suggesting gold-digging. Settlements should be fair, or at least this should be your goal. This will not be the insurance company's goal.

Generally speaking, "To know them is to love them" is true of people. It is not true of insurance companies.

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'83 SC



[This message has been edited by Superman (edited 12-19-2000).]

Nick,

Superman is right, do not SIGN ANYTHING! Wait a few days to a week to make sure that your neck/back is OK.

I had a friend who had the same type of accident and it ripped a small tear in his juglar vein and sometime later he had a stroke from it. It had clotted over and after a while the clot went to his brain. He did collect medical expenses even after he had signed the settlement papers but it was not easy.

Have a good Porsche shop inspect it and make sure that ALL systems are working find before settling any claim. They will try to pressure you into doing it right now and do it at your own pace. You might advise your insurance company of the accident but again I agree that a lawyer is a bad move.

JA

You might also want the seat belts changed, as I understand they come with a certain "give" from the factory and will be streched after a, even, gentle accident. Therefore that beneficial "give" will not be there to help in the future.

Sorry to hear about your back.

Jean-Paul

You might inspect the seat quite closely to be sure that the impact didn't distort the squareness or rigidity of the seat back.

Thanks to everyone for their replies. I went to the Doctor today (she said it WILL get worse)
THen I set up an appt with the Porsche Dealer on Friday. I will keep everyone's ideas in mind about the seat and seat belts.

Nick

Nick, Even the "Hmmm no damage to speak of just little scuffs on the bumperettes" should be addressed. I agree taking it to (I'm guessing Niello's) for a close look for damage. You want your pride and joy to be in the exact same condition as it was before the "shunt" (as the Brits call it). As for you...keep in mind our bodies have a way of not telling us right away that something has changed. Think of starting a running program...ya do the first day and after ya finish you feel o.k. but the next day ya ache like hell!!!! Glad ya got yerself checked out. I know we both live in the "land of litigation" and know yer not trying to make a fortune over spilling hot coffee on your lap ater you ordered a cup of hot coffee!

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Howie
79SC