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From: tron@fluke.UUCP (Peter Barbee)
Newsgroups: net.auto,net.legal
Subject: Re: what to do after auto accident?
Message-ID: <986@vax1.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Apr-85 11:29:55 EST
Article-I.D.: vax1.986
Posted: Tue Apr 23 11:29:55 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 24-Apr-85 05:19:17 EST
References: <1137@phoenix.UUCP>
Reply-To: tron@fluke.UUCP (Peter Barbee)
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Lines: 39
Xref: watmath net.auto:6534 net.legal:1596

>	+ when the car is deemed 'totalled' - do i correctly assume
>that i will get 'book value' for the car and the 'remains' of the car
>are then the property of the insurance company?  

What I say is true for Washington state, I assume the same works for you.
If "their" insurance company has to pay for your car you need not be limited
to book value, if you can make a case that your car was worth more.  When
you settle with the insurance company essentially you are settling a civil
suit out of court, thus they may be willing to pay more than book to keep the
case out of court.  Don't attempt to rip the ocmpany off though, that is what
drives everyone's (inlcuding yours) rates up.  Also, you can claim anything
that is part of the car that the company will not take into account when
pating you off, such as a stereo, or maybe even fancy wheels.

>	+ the police dept. said the police report will be ready in 3-4
>days.  what steps do i follow once i get that report back? i.e. do i
>contact the faulted driver's insurance company directly? (i assume
>fault will be assigned - there seemed to be no question as to what
>happened - there were many witnesses)
>	
Contact the other insurance company immediately.

>	+ it has been suggested that i visit a doctor immediately if i
>think back/neck injury was at all possible-does this imply that
>anything that might crop up is only 'covered' if i visit a dr. w/in 24
>hours or so of the accident?
>
I am not accusing Rona of ripping off the system, but I sure get pissed off
at all the people who look to insurance companies for some easy bucks.
It may be a wild generalization, but it looks to me like the majority of
medical claims resulting from accidents are largely bogus.  Especially
stuff like "mental anguish", or "delayed emotional trauma".  I feel that
when the insurance companies must pay these claims they then raise my
rates (to pay for someone else's greed) or effectively do not pay enough
to those that truly deserve payment.

Sorry, I'll get off the soapbox.

Peter B