My Mazda3 was sandwiched... I need advice.

Hey everyone,

I haven't been around in these forums since I was on vacation for a month and busy at work. Anyways, back at the end June, I was rear ended *twice* in the same accident. The result was I was pushed into the van in front of me and sustained front damage, creating a 4 car pile up... The estimate on my car came out to around a ridiculous $11000 CDN! I'm sure the final bill will be higher, especially after a month and a half rental.
My car is still in the shop because for some reason our body shops are backed up like crazy (we have bad drivers in Edmonton).

As for insurace, I called my insurance the next day to let them know of the incident. The lady who totalled her van on my rear end didn't even want to give her information out to any of the drivers in the accident. It didn't matter because all the information was in the police report. The other parties were very civilized.

Anyways on to the pics. And then the advice part.............
(Subtitles are under each pic)


This van hit me second. I'm pretty sure she totalled her 96 Dodge Caravan...

That silver buick hit me first. Her rear bumper is damaged from the green van hitting her before hitting me.

Front end of buick, front passenger damage from side swiping me just before swirving off to the side.

I was pushed into the Freestar in front.

The total Carnage...

Tow truck peeled my car off the van =(

Car getting towed.

At the body shop, my rear end.

Driver Rear.

Passenger Rear.

Front. Bumper pushed in, grille cracked.

It's pretty bad, I haven't had time to deal with this crap properly.
I called my insurance within a first week of my car being adjusted and asked if they could total it. My insurance adjuster plainly told me no... especially with no engine damage. He even thought it was ludicrous I ask for a new paint job. Debris flew all over my paint of which I'm very particular. I don't want someone to be able to tell it's been in an accident...

What I don't get is, why does my insurance even care. Why don't they just cut me a cheque for a new car, the other parties' insurance is covering it all...

Well, I thought I could do nothing but take my rental, wait it out, go on vacation and get my car back when it was done...

When I got back from vacation, I visited the shop to see how my car was doing. I was gone for a month and it seemed like they had just started.

Aug8, here is how my car looks.

Aug 16, the following week:




Look at the dirt and footprints on my seats. They were in mint condition before the accident!!!!! =(

Sorry if the pics were too big. I can resize them - does anyone know a good sizing?

Anyways, my car was only 9 months old on Accident Day. I really think they should just cut me a cheque for a new car and it would have saved everyone the hassle of waiting for repairs, rentals, etc. Seems ridiculous to me. I don't even think the car will be the same afterwards. My own insurance seems to not give a crap what happened to me. They never called to tell me the car was appraised, never check my status, nobody told me when they were going to order parts and begin repairs. They just went ahead with it all and I actually wanted to go to a different shop, but couldn't in the end because they had already striped the car down.

The more I think about it, the more I think I'm going to get hosed.
So does anyone know what insurance companies policies typically are for totalling cars? My insurance company doesn't seem to want to give me this information. I'm going to start calling them frequently and pestering...

Also does anyone think that if I got a lawyer they'd take me more seriously? I feel I should get compensated for a car that will never be the same and has lost half it's value.

What am I supposed to do? Just sit here and wait to see what happens? I know I'm going to get screwed over, they think I'm some kid that won't know what to do. I'm 24 but look young (I'm asian, can't help it. =)

Olestra said:

Sorry if the pics were too big. I can resize them - does anyone know a good sizing?

Anyways, my car was only 9 months old on Accident Day. I really think they should just cut me a cheque for a new car and it would have saved everyone the hassle of waiting for repairs, rentals, etc. Seems ridiculous to me. I don't even think the car will be the same afterwards. My own insurance seems to not give a crap what happened to me. They never called to tell me the car was appraised, never check my status, nobody told me when they were going to order parts and begin repairs. They just went ahead with it all and I actually wanted to go to a different shop, but couldn't in the end because they had already striped the car down.

The more I think about it, the more I think I'm going to get hosed.
So does anyone know what insurance companies policies typically are for totalling cars? My insurance company doesn't seem to want to give me this information. I'm going to start calling them frequently and pestering...

Also does anyone think that if I got a lawyer they'd take me more seriously? I feel I should get compensated for a car that will never be the same and has lost half it's value.

What am I supposed to do? Just sit here and wait to see what happens? I know I'm going to get screwed over, they think I'm some kid that won't know what to do. I'm 24 but look young (I'm asian, can't help it. =)

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I feel your pain as I'm going through the same bs with insurance now too. My car was parked and hit by a cop of all people who was hot dogging with his classic muscle car, lost control, went off the road totalling out my Jeep.

Anyway, Insurance companies generally consider a vehicle a total loss when the estimated repairs exceed 80% of the estimated retail value. so if your car is worth 10,000 the repair estimate would have to exceed 8000.

The trouble with insurance is they never make you whole...you will get hosed it's the way it is...i'm getting hosed now too. Insurance companies know you won't sue them over a few thousand dollars cause getting a lawyer and litigating the case will cost more than that. I've been with State Farm for over 25 years...i've never had a claim...never...and they treat me like i'm just another idiot. I have to keep following up with them...no returned calls...nobody is acting with a sense of urgency. I bought a new car before i've settled with insurance to mitigate the cost of the rental car. I'm doing my part but they'll still bone me on the final cost. I'll lose around 3k on the total loss claim. they won't take into account my aftermarket stereo...maintenance work done, diminished value of the vehicle following the accident, etc etc etc. It's totally frustrating to be completely without fault and end up paying in the end.

i mitigated my pain by replacing the jeep with a cosmic blue mazdaspeed3 so i'm trying to make something good happen.

best of luck...your cars damage doesn't seem severe so i'd expect the repair to be perfect...but i hear you...i don't want to keep a car that's been involved in an accident...

p.s. I suggest you seek a "diminished value" claim as part of your vehicle repair claim. Before my vehicle was totalled that was part of my arguement that my car wouldn't have the same retail value after it's known to have been in an accident. I was flatly denied being told "it's difficult to prove diminished value sir". I didn't have to pursue that as they did total my car, however, i would have continued to press the diminished value claim had they decided to repair my car. Again, realistically your car won't go down by 1/2 value..but it probably would be reduced around 2k maybe? I'd suggest you assert a figure such as that...even if you got 1k that would be better than nothing...

I can't say I know how you feel, but just looking at those pics made me sick. Before I even read your captions, I could not believe how much dust is in your interior and engine bay. I hope they plan on detailing the entire interior and exterior before they give it back to you! Did you not have a choice where to go? Also, nice smileys drawn on the dust on the windshield. Who did that!?

Don't encourage them to detail it for you. I realize they should be responsible for the mess they made inside the car, but I promise you you'll be happier with the result if you just clean it up yourself.

When the local shop was done with my Sentra (new driver door, lower door sill repair, etc) they wiped down the entire interior with Armor All, so not only were there areas of buffing dust they missed, everything was greasy and shiny, which made the areas they missed even more obvious. I was not a happy guy. Sorry about your car. Hope they do well with the body work.

ecniemann said:

I can't say I know how you feel, but just looking at those pics made me sick. Before I even read your captions, I could not believe how much dust is in your interior and engine bay. I hope they plan on detailing the entire interior and exterior before they give it back to you! Did you not have a choice where to go? Also, nice smileys drawn on the dust on the windshield. Who did that!?

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lol~ someone sounds OCD. =p

You and your car are in my prayers. *^_^*

Thanks for the kind replies.

I'm OCD too when it comes to cleaning my car. Blame it on autopia.org...
I'd rather I go get it detailed myself and then send them the bill. =)

So really there is nothing I can do but bend over...? There's got to be some sort of claim I can use to minimize the loss. I'm going to attempt that diminished value claim if anything.
I'm not out to try and get money out of it. I just don't want to lose that's all. I know some ppl fake injuries and such but I don't do that stuff. In fact I had a soccer injury at the time and my shoulder was extremely stiff. When I went to the doctor to get assessed I admitted to him that it wasn't due to the accident. I could have easily used it as an excuse.

Olestra said:

So really there is nothing I can do but bend over...? There's got to be some sort of claim I can use to minimize the loss. I'm going to attempt that diminished value claim if anything.

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you should pursue this and don't push over if they fight back. keep pushing, keep pursuing, don't take no. insurance's job is to restore you to the state you were at before the incident. that is subjective, so keep pushing. the vehicle should be returned to you the same way it was on the day of the accident according to you

in most (if not all) states the insurance company cannot dictate which shop you take it to either so again you should not have let that go if you wanted to take it somewhere else, regardless of what work they had already done as you did not authorize that work.

your company isn't really involved at all which is why they're not contacting you. the at fault party's company should be handling your claim, yours is just there to back you up if they do something you don't like.

totalling, as mentioned above, is 70-80% of the vehicle's market value depending on the company and the vehicle.

also remember after you get your car back that all work they did is still covered under that same claim. if you notice rust back there anywhere, if that paint wears differently than the other paint, if anything is wrong at any time after, go back to the insurance company and force them to reopen the claim.

the main lesson is just to be a dick and don't take what they say as truth. don't be afraid to hire a lawyer also as it increases their costs exponentially to get their legal team involved and they'll avoid it if they can.

ps - it sounds like both companies involved suck. 1.5 months to handle a claim is absurd. if it's the body shop's fault that's one thing but the insurance company can cut a check to you and/or the shop before the work is completed to cover all costs associated with the claim. that should happen within 24-48 hours.

Dealing with insurance companies sucks donkey balls! Sorry about your car, hopefully it will be ok after the repairs.

Hikaru9 said:

lol~ someone sounds OCD. =p

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Yeah, so I am a little anal with cleanliness! I sold a 1995 Grand Prix this year that everyone said smelled new when they sat in it!

I agree with getting it detailed at your discretion, as long as you get re-imbursed for it. Just sucks they are that disrespectful; I mean stepping on your seats, c'mon?

+1 on #11. But just remember as the Swayse says, "Be nice.....until it's time to not be nice."

Hope everything goes well for you. It's good you have all these pictures/documentation just in case.

for some reason this photo reminds me of a lexus rx330

I had to deal with a total and I didnt not lose out at all, process was quick and easy. Sorry for your troubles and hope it all ends well. Everyone else is right just push but dont be a dick, if your a dick they just wont bother but if you dont push they will just push you untill they are happy with the overall arangement. Plus the insurance company doesnt want that car in the body shop any longer then it has to be because they are paying the rental.