Our HDT T-boned leaving Moab, UT

[CHIEFWAHO]

Last Tuesday as we were leaving Moab we were T-boned by a gal running a red light.

As you can see it took awhile to get shut down, ended up about a third of the way on the river bridge.

She absolutely came out of know where.  Claimed her brakes failed, LOL!

Just missed truck fuel tank.  Impact pushed tool box and fender skirt into the passenger side dual.

Also got the rear tail light panel.

 

We were able (with some help of our Jeeping friends) to remove fender skirt (with cordless grinder cutoff wheel), pry the front toolbox open with large pry bar then use cordless impact to remove toolbox, remove damaged tail light panel and temporary hang lights.

 

Got into the trailer too, ruining (1) trailer tire on impact.  Also damage to trailer.

Pretty sure trailer has more damage than is showing.  Pic of middle tire opposite side of impact after a 1000 miles.

All tires now have funny (not ha ha) wearing.

How she ended up.  She was unhurt and refused medical treatment.

Cop had to chase down the wrecker and retrieve her stuffed teddy bear!

Any first hand advise advise with in dealing with a situation similar would be appreciated.

I did get an Information Exchange Document from the cop that worked the accident.  He did inform me that the vehicle listed in as #1, is at fault party and she was listed first.

I let my insurance agent (American Family) know ASAP.  I sent them a copy of the Information Exchange Document, they reached out to the others insurance company.  Within an hour or so I had a reply from my insurance with a claim # and adjusters name/number from her insurance company.  Was told they needed to contact their client to verify and an adjuster would be contacting me.

I have yet to hear back.

I plan to contact Moab PD and get a copy of the accident report before I call her adjuster.

 

[ARGO]

FIRST QUESTION- "are you accepting liability?". If so, get time/date and in writing if possible. They might send someone out, but still refuse to pay. Ask your Co to send someone out if they waffle **at all**, could be months before they step up to the plate. Yours is obligated to act, you can always withdraw your claim if the other Co accepts the loss.  .

[Bill w/bus]

We were rear ended last August. Our insurance company said to deal  with them for totaled car and medical. Worked well. Not much hassle.

 

Bill

[HERO Maker]

Glad you were towing with your HDT!  A pickup would have been pretty bad and she probably would have ended up with a lot of injuries to herself!  Glad you're ok.

[noteven]

Although that damage isn’t going to buff out (specially the car) on trail repairs are a time honored tradition in 4wheeling! 

Your trailer axles have been bashed out of alignment and or wheels bent, methinks.

Glad no one injured. Steel and plastic can be fixed /recycled. 

[maveric]

If it isn't too much hassle, I would get an estimate for the repairs to the truck, and repairs to the trailer. Obviously the truck is going to require fab work to fix. The trailer may need axles and some body repairs.

When the adjuster comes to write their estimate, give them a copy of the shops estimates. This will give them something to work from.

Depending on who her insurance company is, it may be easier to get your company involved. If you run it through your insurance, they will probably require you to pay the shop your deductible, but will reimburse you for it after they have settled with her insurance. Hopefully she has coverage (or enough coverage) for the damage. Is your trailer insured? If not, then you will want to run it through HER insurance, since yours won't cover it.

If you are going to do the repairs yourself, have the insurance company write the check directly to you. If you go this route, just realize that after they issue a check, it may be difficult to get additional damage covered. If a repair shop does the work, supplemental damage is a little easier to cover because the shop doesn't usually "make stuff up that needs fixed". (Not saying that you would, just stating that a repair shop does repairs daily. They also (usually) have a way to document the repairs (estimating software, labor manuals, etc) that the average individual doesn't have access to.

 

Not sure on the tires, but they will probably pro-rate them based on wear, and there is a chance that they won't cover the other tires (the ones NOT damaged IN the wreck) because you chose to drive on them after the wreck occurred. (I have dealt with insurance companies that will do anything to save a buck, including not fixing related damage, or charging multiple deductibles [ie, your truck AND your trailer])

 

Not sure if any of this helps....but hopefully gives you some insight.

[jenandjon]

Main thing is everyone is OK. I would get a 4 wheel alignment just in case. Get that in the estimate.

[Hot Rod]

And a careful (professional) inspection of both the rear axle housing and all rear suspension components.  You basically totaled a whole car with your outer dual, it could easily have damaged parts under the truck.  I'd hate to see a hairline crack turn up in the axle housing at a later date.  That trailer could get real expensive as well, with the way that 17.5 tire got chewed up in relatively few miles one or all axles could be bent or the frame tweaked.  Frame straightening at a semi shop plus replacing the axles plus a wheel and some tires could easily exceed the value of the trailer.  I'm wondering if a semi shop could also check the alignment on all axles on that as well to make that determination?

On a side note relating to another thread...  I didn't even notice that silver truck in the intersection was a "marked" police vehicle the until I noticed the blue lights on the running board.   That is getting WAY too sneaky.

[lockmup68]

take it to RVHLifestyles and have them give you an estimate since they build beds and work on trailers (or Kansas RV down the road).

[Pete Kildow]

On 8/1/2018 at 12:53 PM, Hot Rod said:

And a careful (professional) inspection of both the rear axle housing and all rear suspension components.  You basically totaled a whole car with your outer dual, it could easily have damaged parts under the truck.  I'd hate to see a hairline crack turn up in the axle housing at a later date.  That trailer could get real expensive as well, with the way that 17.5 tire got chewed up in relatively few miles one or all axles could be bent or the frame tweaked.  Frame straightening at a semi shop plus replacing the axles plus a wheel and some tires could easily exceed the value of the trailer.  I'm wondering if a semi shop could also check the alignment on all axles on that as well to make that determination?

On a side note relating to another thread...  I didn't even notice that silver truck in the intersection was a "marked" police vehicle the until I noticed the blue lights on the running board.   That is getting WAY too sneaky.

I was going to say the same thing. Betting there will be issues with the truck rearend soon. I had one hit like that 25 years ago. Within 5000 miles found the wheel seal was leaking. Then bearing issues along with chuck was going down.

[IamLadyPirate]

Lucky you were not towing your RV. There is nothing like the feeling, after a serious accident, of standing on the side of the road and realizing that you are now truly homeless.  Our first truck and trailer were totaled in August of 2001 in the same kind of accident. We were T-boned in Casper Wyoming in August of 2001.I wish you speedy repairs to your rig and that you are back on the road soon. Glad you were not hurt.

[CHIEFWAHO]

Had Jack & Marc at RVHLifestyles take a look at truck and trailer yesterday.

I'm lucky they are only 20 miles from me.

They are working up an estimate for the insurance.

Thanks for all the replies!