Page 2 - The Life of Mr. Average Insurance Claim

Heh... I would comment on that regarding my current employer, but I could incriminate myself, so I'll keep my mouth shut.

'Course... if they did that, you'd hafta be careful about what you bought in the cafeteria

If they had THAT slow of a reaction time they'd get weeded out just trying to cross the street to work! Reminds me of a movie... DeathRace 2000. Anyone seen that? I haven't... but someday I'll get around to it. HERE'S a question (taht should be in the "Drumline" thread, but hey)... especially with LOTR coming out. Peter Jackson directed two other films in his earlier days that launched him into a sort of cult status before he made some of his more well-known films. Can anyone name them?

Hint 1: The first, from 1987, deals with alien entrepeneurs looking to get a good deal on Mc-Humans for their fast food chain.

Hint 2: Muppets from Hell.

OH YEAH!

Her story was that she was pulling out of the BK and I was waiting to make a right turn at a red light! That means:

1) Traffic would have had to have been backed up farther than I've EVER seen it backed up for us to collide.

2) She ran a stop sign! There's no sign at the Sheetz, but there IS one at the BK!

3) She STILL pulled out into the road into the side of my car!

HELL YEAH!

Well, it's over and I got screwed. Big surprise.

The other insurance company denied my claim because "it appears the car was sideswiped" because the damage reaches so far along the side. Never mind the fact that it was a Dodge Diplomat that hit me - one of the largest, widest cars on the road, and it doesn't look anything like a sideswipe.

Lesson learned - people, especially in business, are scum (well... I already knew that), so no matter what REALLY happened, never rely on the truth to point you to the fair or correct outcome (actually.. that goes for anything that might involve business or a court, not just insurance claims). Always call the police and make sure you have their statement, otherwise the insurance company will screw you and there's nothing you can do about it

Wow.... that's ridiculous.... sorry, man.

Lesson learned, like you said... for all of us.

---John Holmes...

Heh... that's what the forums are for, right? Learning.

I suppose they chose the "sideswipe story" because they knew I wouldn't be able to reasonably fight it. Yes... I COULD prove that it wasn't sideswiped with the help of an expert, but that doesn't guarantee a change in the status of the claim, and it would cost as much to get the work and testimony as it would to replace the car... I don't know if I should be impressed at their insight to pick this argument or furious that they did it... well.. not true.. I'm absolutely furious... and the worst part? There's not a damn thing I can do...

On the other hand, maybe I should switch insurance companies... at least I know if I go with these lying freaks, l'll have a good shot at getting away with pretty much anything

Ah well, at any rate, I'm just going to sell the car for $1500 or so (with doing the repairs yourself, you'd get it at quite a bargain price overall: about $3100 total, which is about $2000 less than you'd pay from a dealer and about $2500 less than Blue Book) and get myself a little Corrolla or something similar. This one sucked up the gas anyway.

Of course, on the other hand, it makes me glad I didn't put the $1200 body kit and spoiler on it

[edit]
Hmph... Lesson 2 m'droogies (anyone here ever see that highly disturbing movie?): Never surrender.

I'm going to go get a body shop to write up what they think happened. That woman kept trying to tell me "I'm denying the claim: there's nothing more you can do.". BS! I know better than that and I'm not going to get beat down by some beauracratic, money-grubbing company trying to rip me off... NEVER surrender.
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[edit part deux]
Geico Strawman #1
Status: Easily Refuted

The major "argument" that they gave turns out to be rather weak and pathetic. They say I must have been sideswiped, not T-Boned, because the swath of damage on the car is far too wide to have been caused by a direct front to side collision. My appraiser says (Geico claims their appraiser says the car is totalled and didn't provide any other information except the photographs.. right, I believe that) that the damage starts at the inside of my tire (near the wheel itself) which would be where the farthest point of the passenger side made impact.. It's clear, however, where the impact of the driver's side of her fender is.. there's a big dip that clearly outlines that fender. Measuring from the OUTSIDE of that divot (very liberal in my measurement was I) to the closest inside edge of my tire presents an impact zone of ~ 68 inches.

Funny thing is... the official specifications of a 1987 Dodge Diplomat, published by Daimler-Chrysler, provide an exterior width measurement of 73.5 inches (for the coupe) to 74.2 inches (for the sedan - her car). Oops. Strawman 1 failed. I suppose once I provide this information, we'll move on to the next outrageous claim. Anyone want to take bets on how long it takes to exhaust all of their idiotic lies?
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Unfortunately with these idiots, nothings comes easily and you have to fight for everything you get. Insurance companies suck.
They have such a good deal. It is required by law (at least in most states) that you have to have insurance, but in a lot of instances they give people hard times like they have done you, when the answer is obvious. I hate insurance companies!

Onslaught -

We apparently have no idea:

http://inscobadfaith.com/informatio...utes/index.html

Some choice quotes:



Sick....

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Forget it... I'm done screwing with them. Tomorrow I'm calling a lawyer I found and discussing options with them... including punitive damages. Since this started I've:
- Had my TMJ aggravated to the point where my jaw won't open more than 1.5 inches or so (TMJ is sort of like arthritis in the hinge of your jaw). Hurts like hell.
- Redeveloped an OLD heart murmur / flutter that had gone away some 8 years ago.
- Developed occasional chest pain.
- Developed stiff back / neck pain.
- Lost a great deal of sleep

I used to think people who went after companies for "pain and suffering" damages were greedy crackpots... guess I was wrong...
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I know I've been sort of poking fun at this whole thing, ctb, but I'm really sorry to hear that sh*t happened to you I hope in the end you'll get your cash back and may be even something to cover your moral expenses as well.

Hey, thanks Al, John. You've gotta keep a sense of humor throughout this sort of thing though. I was able to forsee this turning into a big circus, so the thread was even started in partial self-ribbing/jest.

Blah.. the companies are about to go at it with each other I wish I could be there to watch. When I got sued in small claims court, it was by a former martial arts teacher. Myself and some of his other students / my friends would joke that he was a "modern day samurai" because he wielded the deadly weapon of litigation (he sued several different people actually... he also got sued a couple of times.. I swear the guy must've lived in court). This sort of reminds me of that. The two mighty armies, the Donegals and the Geicos will meet in the boardroom of fate to determine the outcome of the innocent Prince Chris! Weird... Maybe we could get those things like they had on American Gladiator where you whapped at each other with cushioned staves and tried to knock the other person off a pedestal. Now THAT would make it all worhwhile no matter what the outcome! //LOL