Sad Day Redux, Redux

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Spent the afternoon under the car looking at stuff. Found the right CV had rotational play, not just in and out axial, but rotation. Was looser the a 2 dollar hooker. Had a stash of Pelican supplied CVs that I was gonna put on the 75, but was waiting for until warmer weather when it got crunched. Pulled the drive shaft and got greasy! Went to reinstall and was frustrated until I remembered Grady's advice about cutting the heads off of some old axle bolts, slotting them to facilitate removal, and using them as guides, to get the axle started. Whffft, the axles leapt into place and were secured with zero drama, thanks Grady! As soon as the weather and other projects slow I will replace the other side as well. The left rear caliper is dragging a bit, next project!
eric

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Final tally!
I originally bought the '75 for 10K.
After taking the owner of the van that hit me to, Small Claims Court, I think I did OK considering.
The original accident estimate was for 16+K to repair the '75. Even though the car was driven by an unlicensed driver, in California, the owner of the vehicle is liable for anything that that car does damage wise. I presented the Property Damage side of my case and was immediately awarded $10,000 plus court costs for the damages.
As the time limit for the personal injury side of the accident was rolling up, I decided to chase the Personal Injury side in Small Claims as well. After the accident I took 2 weeks of FMLA time off to get some treatment and relax my back. After calculating my lost wages to include everything from actual pay, to 401(k)loss, to lost vacation and sick time accrual I walked away with another $8,000.
In many states in civil court there can be 2 components to an accident, the property damages and personal injury, and in California they can be separate actions. The time limits for property damages is 1 year and personal injury is 2 years. Insurance companies will do anything to not pay any money out, I told the Geico adjuster that if he wanted to push this into court it would cost them 20K, he laughed at me and said good luck, well Robbie, 18K is pretty close and while I had to wait for it, the owner was livid at being sued 2 times and having 2 judgements against him.
So in the final analysis Small Claims can be a useful tool to regain losses, and the courts are not sympathetic to insurance companies when it is evident that they are dealing in less than good faith. In my property damages the judge did a very unusual thing, he decided the case while we were in the court room, and made it very clear that he was not impressed with the defendant/insurance company, and in the personal injury/lost wages case he made the decision and mailed it in less than 1 week, when the court was advertising 4-8 weeks for decisions.
As it happened, for my troubles, I traded the '75 for an '84 and took 2 weeks off to rest/relax. I did sell the crunched '75 for $5,500 and sold off a bunch of specific CIS parts and tools all for more than I paid for them. I got a newer car with a sunroof that I didn't really want, but enjoy anyway!
Just glad that this chapter of the saga is closed.

[Cooper911SC]

Thanks for the update! Glad it ended up well.

Good for you for sticking with your principles.

Dealing with insurance companies raises the hairs on my neck! What a complete racket when it comes to taking care of a claim.

I have had the unfortunate chance to deal with 2 total loss claims on non P vehicles. It took months of patients and gathering documentation. Giant time suck!
I was happy with the settlements in both cases, but what a time waster...

I feel your pain.

Happy motoring now!

Cooper

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Originally Posted by Cooper911SC

Thanks for the update! Glad it ended up well.

Good for you for sticking with your principles.

Dealing with insurance companies raises the hairs on my neck! What a complete racket when it comes to taking care of a claim.

I have had the unfortunate chance to deal with 2 total loss claims on non P vehicles. It took months of patients and gathering documentation. Giant time suck!
I was happy with the settlements in both cases, but what a time waster...

I feel your pain.

Happy motoring now!

Cooper

No worries, I have been slapping insurance companies silly for the last 15 years, 2 BMW 2002 sedan rear enders and a Suzuki Sidekick as well. Every one was done by an idiot either on the phone or driving with their head up their butt('75). And with every car except the '75 I was stopped and had multiple witnesses. AAA cringes every time one of their blue haired drivers hit me, the last one they mailed the check without me doing anything except me telling the adjuster to call my favorite(not) adjuster in the Capitola office. I had set her up for a Felony "Filing False Info With The DMV" case with a little help from an investigator who hated insurance companies worse than vampires hate garlic wooden stakes.
Calif "Total Loss Vehicle" was amended for my loophole, sorry guys!