Got T-Boned last nite

[IROCanSS]

Originally Posted by v6sonoma

Could they even fix the gills? Wouldn't they need to replace the hole section?

They cant "fix" the quarter panel. It will need to be cut off and a new one welded in place. Sounds like a lot, its not. Like I posted earlier, they will take off the door and likely get a new one. A door skin would be too much work when a new door just bolts right up. For the quarter panel, they will cut it at one of the body seams, weld a new one in and viola`... good as new. The rocker panel and wheel will be replaced. Due to the fact that none of the body joints are tweaked, there is like ZERO frame damage. Sheet metal is weak, it rips and bends with very little force. The skelton of the car... thats another story.

I am going to guess...

Your looking about $4000 to fix it. Just my guess...

[mcotton]

Good to hear your OK, the car can be replaced. Time to hire a lawyer.

[formare]

Good news out of bad - now we have another possible in the community at large that can be scavenged for parts.

[PsshPlzz]

Originally Posted by jrhaus76

I am sorry but NO WAY you are getting a new car. That is minor sheet metal damage. Easily fixed. Door skin (maybe a new door), new quarter panel, new rocker panel, some paint and a new front wheel. Sorry. Roll with the punches and the car will be 100% fine if fixed by a good shop. I would demand you take the car where YOU want to have the repair done but you'll never get a new car out of that. I can't believe you even think you will.

Likely the same thing will happen to the cop that would happen to any of us for getting into an ACCIDENT. He will get a ticket and go on with life. It happens. Ease up. And fradulant medical claims... don't go there. If the airbags didnt deply and the car isnt that bad your "whiplash" claim isnt going to stand up.

Easy ways to tell the car is fine:

1. no broken glass
2. air bags didnt deploy Camaro does not have airbag sensors in the location that I was hit (according to my friends from GM)
3. the passenger window is still seated so the door is not out of whack
4. nothing appears to have bent the wheels. the first two pics look like the wheel/fender gap is off in the front but the third pic it looks fine. The third pic is from above the car, its probably the most pointless of them, not to easy to notice the fender gap being off when i didnt take a picture to focus on it.
5. the gap between the front fender and door is even.
6. you obviously drove it somewhere after the accident b/c its parked by the curb in the photos.Ever Heard of a Tow Truck? Sorry I didn't Drive it home, we tried to move it out of the street and that didn't work out to well.

Before you start judging everything on the car I would suggest you see it in person, its really alot worse in person. These pictures make it look less than it is. Ill take some new pictures and post them

"days." The officer will most likely get a suspension. Not to diminish your ordeal/situation of what happened, but this stuff happens every day. Officers spend 8 hours or more behind the wheel of their car a day driving to and from calls. When you work behind the wheel of a car, your chances of getting into an accident skyrocket. It happens. The officer will be punished, so don't think he's getting off scott free.

He was leaving the boroughs police department, this literally happened right in front of their building. Regardless of whether you've been behind the wheel of a car for how many hours that still does not explain, nor justify to me, why you would be blowing a stop sign (which I know they are allowed to do when responding) and flying out of your lot with no headlights, no flashers, didn't alert me with any horns. Pretty much was a black missile in the dark. I don't know when he had just gotten on duty, or if he had been ending his shift soon, but being behind the wheel for a given number of hours, does not at all clear up why you would make a mistake like that like that.

Originally Posted by ssdavidw

Glad nobody was badly hurt.

Can I ask what township this officer worked for? What was his attitude after he hit you?

I would rather not say right now, and he looked like he was shitting himself.


A Police Officers' primary mission is to protect the public. He cannot do this successfully by driving dangerously and putting lives at excessive risk. When in pursuit of a suspect, or when responding to a call, a Police Officer (with proper emergency lights and/or siren) can exceed the posted speed limit, go through red lights and stop signs, and take other courses of action that would be illegal for civilian drivers - PROVIDING that he remain in complete control of his vehicle and does not endanger other lives.

[Mr_Draco]

Originally Posted by jrhaus76

They cant "fix" the quarter panel. It will need to be cut off and a new one welded in place. Sounds like a lot, its not. Like I posted earlier, they will take off the door and likely get a new one. A door skin would be too much work when a new door just bolts right up. For the quarter panel, they will cut it at one of the body seams, weld a new one in and viola`... good as new. The rocker panel and wheel will be replaced. Due to the fact that none of the body joints are tweaked, there is like ZERO frame damage. Sheet metal is weak, it rips and bends with very little force. The skelton of the car... thats another story.

I am going to guess...

Your looking about $4000 to fix it. Just my guess...

I think you're under estimating the cost. Just to replace the front fascia and fender on this car is $3k. It most likely will be closer to $10k.

As for the officer, I agree with Tag. He will not get fired just for that. His punishment and the cities reaction will depend on if he is classified as on duty or off duty. If he just got off duty then he'll be classified as a civilian just like anybody else, nothing will happen to the officer and the city will tell you that it's between yours and his insurance companies to get your car fixed. If he was on duty then the city will pay to have your car fixed and the officer will receive a couple weeks suspension with out pay. You can forget about the lawsuit against the city, you will not win (well out of the hundred plus I've seen no one has won). You will have to sue the officer if you want any monetary compensation which then again you most likely will not win.

Now let me tell you a true story that happened here that will put your accident in a more realistic view. 2 years ago a NC highway patrol officer received a call. He was traveling at a high rate of speed (estimated 120+) with blue lights and siren on the interstate (speed limit of 70 mph). The officer got distracted and ended up rear ending another car. The impact was so sever that it instantly killed the 4-5 year old girl in the back seat and both parents was rushed to the hospital where they spent weeks in the ICU. The state payed the hospital bill and the funeral, the officer just got a suspension of 6 months without pay. The parents got greedy and decided to sue the state. Last year it went to court and surprise surprise the couple lost. They decided to go after the officer, this case has yet to go to court.

[CAM MAN]

Good Luck!!

[IROCanSS]

Originally Posted by Mr_Draco

I think you're under estimating the cost. Just to replace the front fascia and fender on this car is $3k. It most likely will be closer to $10k.

OK.... Thats unlikely unless like to OP states there are damages you can't see in the pictures. As I said, look at the body joints, they look fine. I am betting its not that big a repair job. I oculd be wrong, I havent seen the car but judging from the pics... easy repiar.

Once we know more and have more info, like an estimate from a hop, maybe I will ewat crow... we shall see.

[Mr_Draco]

Originally Posted by jrhaus76

OK.... Thats unlikely unless like to OP states there are damages you can't see in the pictures. As I said, look at the body joints, they look fine. I am betting its not that big a repair job. I oculd be wrong, I havent seen the car but judging from the pics... easy repiar.

Once we know more and have more info, like an estimate from a hop, maybe I will ewat crow... we shall see.

Labor wise I agree, I think it's easy. It's the parts that I think will run the price up that high.

[Steve Dallas]

I'm hoping you had insurance. I'm sure the officer did as well.

Have you had an adjuster take a look at the car yet? Though it would be nice to get a new car out of it, with the airbags NOT deploying...they may not total the car.

Also, make sure you see the doctor ASAP, and let him know it was because of the accident. This way your bases are covered if you do need further treatment due to the accident.

[PsshPlzz]

Originally Posted by Mr_Draco

Now let me tell you a true story that happened here that will put your accident in a more realistic view. 2 years ago a NC highway patrol officer received a call. He was traveling at a high rate of speed (estimated 120+) with blue lights and siren on the interstate (speed limit of 70 mph). The officer got distracted and ended up rear ending another car. The impact was so sever that it instantly killed the 4-5 year old girl in the back seat and both parents was rushed to the hospital where they spent weeks in the ICU. The state payed the hospital bill and the funeral, the officer just got a suspension of 6 months without pay. The parents got greedy and decided to sue the state. Last year it went to court and surprise surprise the couple lost. They decided to go after the officer, this case has yet to go to court.

I am in a totally different scenario, i understand what your saying about what would happen to the officer but that is not my major concern. I was not on a highway being rear ended by an officer responding to a call with lights and sirens. I was struck by an officer with no lights, no sirens...not even headlights...blowing a stop sign to respond to a call where multiple officers had already been (which has nothing to do with anything). I would understand if i could see him, but when its midnight and a black car is coming out of the dark with 0 lights and sirens (headlights, flashers etc etc) I think he might be at fault.

[Camaro68]

Originally Posted by Michael_Js

:( Sorry to hear, and see. However, glad all are ok...

hopefully it all works out...

[Eric's Blue]

Im going to go with the OP on this one. Regardless of the damage. I think trying to resell a car later will be much more difficult. Carfax shows a repair job early on after purchasing explain that?

I think saying "I was hit by a police car that was running a stop sign or (red light)"
sounds much worse than say...

"I was hit by some old lady in a Honda Civic."

I think there is some psychological devaluation of the car in this case. You pay that officers salary with your tax money. I would get an attorney. I would definitely get a medical work up. Once you settle, if some long term medical problems occur down the road, you are out of luck. I m not there to judge if the officer should be punished. My intial reaction is no, lets not start another "witch hunt" for bad officers. They are apt to make mistakes like anyone else. But I also have no problems getting the city to replace the full value of my car (regardless of damage.) Once you get a police report I would call and persuade your insurance company also.

[Scrappy Doo]

Originally Posted by Eric's Blue

Im going to go with the OP on this one. Regardless of the damage. I think trying to resell a car later will be much more difficult. Carfax shows a repair job early on after purchasing explain that?

I think saying "I was hit by a police car that was running a stop sign or (red light)"
sounds much worse than say...

"I was hit by some old lady in a Honda Civic."

I think there is some psychological devaluation of the car in this case. You pay that officers salary with your tax money. I would get an attorney. I would definitely get a medical work up. Once you settle, if some long term medical problems occur down the road, you are out of luck. I m not there to judge if the officer should be punished. My intial reaction is no, lets not start another "witch hunt" for bad officers. They are apt to make mistakes like anyone else. But I also have no problems getting the city to replace the full value of my car (regardless of damage.) Once you get a police report I would call and persuade your insurance company also.

1. Police officers, Troopers, Deputies are not exempt from paying taxes. They pay just as much of "their salary" as everyone else does. Do you pay your employer to go to work?

2. Amen on the hunt for bad officers comment. Crashes happen. A person that drives 30,000 miles a year is bound to be in more accidents than a person that drives 3,000 miles a year.

3. Officers are human too. Humans make mistakes. He will get punished for his mistake and everybody will move on.

4. There is no way that they will replace this car. That car is no where near totaled. it will not be cheap to fix, but it certainly isn't a total loss. The city will not replace this car.


Someone mentioned it earlier, there are worse people to get hit by. at least the city has insurance, or is self insured. Ever been hit by someone without insurance?

OP. yes it was not your fault. yes, the cop screwed up. Crashes HAPPEN. If it was my car, i would be pissed too. The car will be fixed and you can continue to enjoy it. if you don't like it, then get a new one. I have already addressed the cop issue, so i won't comment about your whole view of the cop who was at fault. Wish you the best on your car.

[2001ragtop]

It appears the end result would be the same no matter who hits your car, civilian, or civil servant.

Just get the car fixed. pay the car down. Sell it. Start over.

What's bad is you have the most expensive Camaro model they make RS/SS. To some extend, it sounds like you just have to keep it.

Just be sure whoever fixes it does it right.