WOT: Changed the title to the Big Story!, The big stupid insurance company vs the lil guy. This is very long...L Options

[PeeGreen 914]

Check your laws on this as well. In Washington a bicycle is still a pedestrian at an intersection and if you hit one in your car you will be charged and you will be at fault. My brother is going through something like this where the kid rode out into the street and rather than the kid being at fault my brother was given a ticket for failure to stop for a pedestrian. He had to fight and and won but the kid got off scot free... other than injuries he received.

Hope this works out for you. Sounds like you're dealing with some real swell people (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[7TPorsh]

Insurance companies suck...people suck. I don't know how old your son is but the part that bothers me moest is;

" My youngest son was riding his bike to school. It was snowy and sloppy".

Why is he riding a bike to school if it's snowing??

[sww914]

The second I saw that estimate it screamed DRP. Clearly the estimator thinks he can charge whatever he wants because he doesn't have enough review from the carrier. We both know that the sheet metal pull is a load of crap, there isn't enough energy stored in that dent to need a pull at all. He's just trying to fatten up the estimate and knows that the picture looks good enough that the inside adjuster that's looking at it is probably fresh out of college and has never seen a crashed car before except in pictures. The additional previous damage is just a matter of the shop estimator writing up whatever the lady said was related. He didn't care if she was lying, more money to the shop for more repairs.
I'd report the shop to your state's version of the BAR, whoever oversees auto repair to make sure that they're fair. I think it will be easy to prove that their repairs aren't fair. I'd also threten to turn the carrier in to the dept. of Insurance. One of the adjusters that I was good friends with said that in Ca. every report to the DOI costs the insurance company an average of $10K. They try to avoid that.

[ConeDodger]

Insurance companies suck...people suck. I don't know how old your son is but the part that bothers me moest is;

" My youngest son was riding his bike to school. It was snowy and sloppy".

Why is he riding a bike to school if it's snowing??

People ride mountain bikes to school and work in MPLS in the snow and rain all the time. This is not unusual behaviour. These are tougher people than you can probably imagine. Where he erred was in being on the sidewalk instead of the street as bikes do not belong on sidewalks however, if there was plowed snow along the roadway, riding on the road would have been a suicidal act in my opinion.

[7TPorsh]

True, maybe California has softened me up. I used to walk and ride my bike to school in 3rd grade in Boston.

Nowadays being a parent in today's world, i can't imagine my son or daughter going to school on their own (before high school)...even on a beautiful sunny day.

Times have changed.

[rick 918-S]

Rick, is this how the scene was?
(IMG:http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h88/danlo830/CrashScene.jpg)

Yes, My son told me he ended up in the middle of the driving lane behind the car, he jumped up and grabbed his bike that was laying in the street by him. He had traffic barreling down on him. He thought he was going to get run over.

[rick 918-S]

Insurance companies suck...people suck. I don't know how old your son is but the part that bothers me moest is;

" My youngest son was riding his bike to school. It was snowy and sloppy".

Why is he riding a bike to school if it's snowing??

People ride mountain bikes to school and work in MPLS in the snow and rain all the time. This is not unusual behaviour. These are tougher people than you can probably imagine. Where he erred was in being on the sidewalk instead of the street as bikes do not belong on sidewalks however, if there was plowed snow along the roadway, riding on the road would have been a suicidal act in my opinion.

Ya, he's a tough kid but he is also one of those college age kids that doesn't want to pollute, eat meat or make waves. That's fine for him. I'll eat his share of steak and burn his gas in my 914. And as far as making waves.... Well I think we know what's up there. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[rick 918-S]

The second I saw that estimate it screamed DRP. Clearly the estimator thinks he can charge whatever he wants because he doesn't have enough review from the carrier. We both know that the sheet metal pull is a load of crap, there isn't enough energy stored in that dent to need a pull at all. He's just trying to fatten up the estimate and knows that the picture looks good enough that the inside adjuster that's looking at it is probably fresh out of college and has never seen a crashed car before except in pictures. The additional previous damage is just a matter of the shop estimator writing up whatever the lady said was related. He didn't care if she was lying, more money to the shop for more repairs.
I'd report the shop to your state's version of the BAR, whoever oversees auto repair to make sure that they're fair. I think it will be easy to prove that their repairs aren't fair. I'd also threten to turn the carrier in to the dept. of Insurance. One of the adjusters that I was good friends with said that in Ca. every report to the DOI costs the insurance company an average of $10K. They try to avoid that.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) you got their number!

[rick 918-S]

Just an update and an end to this story. If you read through the thread you know I was attempting to settle an inflated claim for damage resulting from an accident my son was involved in. We checked our bank account and discovered the insurance company processed our check. So... We win!

Just a lesson for all of you. If you are involved in an accident and you get a subrogation demand, don't just assume there is no defense or chance to review and reduce the amount of the demand. Insurance companies on average use the shoot gun approch. There is almost always something wrong with the demand amount or the percentage you owe.

Demand= $1959.40 our offer and check amount= $ 624.60 We reduced the demand $ 1334.80 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

[KELTY360]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[charliew]

Does that mean the car will only get the damage where you think your son hit it or will the insurance pay to fix it all or just give the insured the 600.00 and let them do this again to someone else?

[rick 918-S]

Does that mean the car will only get the damage where you think your son hit it or will the insurance pay to fix it all or just give the insured the 600.00 and let them do this again to someone else?

The car was brought into the insurance companies prefered shop. The shop does not need to wait for the insurance company to come out and inspect the damage. They fix the vehicle and send photos and a bill to the insurance company. So the vehicle was repaired long before we received notice.

The insurance company paid the full bill. They will either need to try and get the money back from their insured, contact them and try to apply a second deductible or take up the ass for not inspecting the vehicle and the facts of the loss prior to the completion of repairs. I'm guessing... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sheeplove.gif)

[Zaney]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)
Glad it worked out for you and your son.
I guess having a quick draw with your cell phone camera is not a bad thing these days. Hard thing is to calm down ones nerves after an incident.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) Rawk On!

[BarberDave]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

As i see it Rick: there biggest mistake was to mess around with you.

Glad it worked out well. Is your son's shoulder well now?

At 16 my son had similar run in with a tree on a motor cycle, ( he wasn't

allowed to ride) today at 37 he has lasting affects . Have your boy checked
out!
Dave (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif)