I got hit by Swift

A couple years ago I was down in Texarcana. I stoped at the Flying J there. Was just going tobe a quick stop had to drop a package in the UPS box. So I pulled onto the fuel ilse behind somone who was already fueling. got out and went over to drop the package. No more then 2mins went by. probly even more like 1. When I was coming back I did see the truck infront of me pulling forward a few feet. When I got to my door the guy was walking to the back of his truck. He asked me did I hit you. I said huh? (thinking why would you have hit me). So standing at the corner of the truck I looked at the front. (truck was covered in huge bugs) so it was difficult to see. I did not see any real damage what no. Then got back into my truck. There was a truck sitting next to me who came over and said you know that guy hit your truck. So I hop out and look at the front again.

I then notice he did infact hit me. but just bairly. left a small dent on the passenger side of the bumper from his ICC bar. and two small quarter inch dents in the grill on the passenger side. The driver that hit me came back when he saw both of us standing there. And I said looks like you did hit me. But informed him the damage was minor. And even thow the bumper was in perfect shape beforehand. I did not want to file a claim on somthing so petty. So I get back up in my truck.

After sitting there a sec I start to think. Well I better check the inside. So i pop the hood. And then notice the passenger side hood mount is cracked (this is a Volvo 770 BTW). The fiberglass there is pretty torn up. I then bring the guy back and show him this. And let him know, While I would let a small bumper dent go, this hood is going to need some real fixing. So at which point in time we excahange insurance info. It was a late friday night, so I was only able to leave a message with both mine and his insurance company.

The following monday I talk to both insurance companies and start that whole proccess. With it being my buisy time of year and the truck being operational I inform them that it might be awhile before I can get into a shop to get an estimate. So about 3 months later I finaly get it into the shop. The estimate comes out to $5200. But I dont get the work done, as i want the money inhand before I pay for the repairs. After going back and forth for awhile, they want more estimates. So I go and get two more. Both of which are about the same price.

Then about 6 months after the incident happens they say the only thing they are going to pay for is the bumper not the hood. So $550. I say that is not acceptable. And they are going on about how they did not damage the hood only the bumper. And I explain that the bumper is pushed 2 inches in past the hood. And my insurance company is worthless at handling the event, Saying I could go threw them. But with my high deductable it would not be worth using them. So I inform the company that hit me that I would wait until I had a trip going near there yard. And would bring it to them so they could see the damage and see that they are clearly responsable for the entire damage.

Well getting a trip there proved longer then I had anticipated. Ended up being a couple more months. So it had been about a year since the incident happend before I go rolling into there lot. I goto there insurance desk. They say they cant find my file on records. But then goto the back and find it. They then inform me that the incident had been closed. As the check they sent was cashed. I was like huh? They said yea we sent the check to your company and they cashed it.

Now becouse of this the company that hit me is no longer liable. I then goto my company and ask whats up? Aparantly the office chick that gets the mail saw the check made out to them and desposited it. Which legally they could becouse I had used my company to finance my truck so it was still in there name. I then asked if they where going to fix it. Which they responded no, but they would give me the $550 they got.

Never got the hood, bumper, grill or bugguard fixed. The grill is not really damaged, Bumper has a small dent (two now, I hit a dear last year with it and it left a nice 1 foot round bend on the driver side). Bugguard needs to get replaced. And I was able to put several bolts going from the hood to the mounting brace which works.

Lesson learned. I should of had the police come out even for somthing as simple as what had happend. Even thow the driver admited at the scene and wrote it down, even thow I had a wittness.

 

And once again, someone who is trying to be a nice guy gets the shaft. . .

 

Best to make "a federal deal out of it" if there is any hint of an insurance rippoff, er I mean an insurance COMPANY involved...

 

I do this alot. I also keep a camera handy in the truck, and it saved my ### when Arrow Trucking hit me, the driver ran, but I got his plate number as he pulled away with the camera.

 

Well this morning I got woke up by hearing glass breaking..
Driver was trying to pull into a parking spot and I was backed in bobtail.
He caught my spot mirror on the passenger side. So I'm trying to get dressed and I can see him trying to move back and forth.
Not a good way to start the morning. This was at 5:45 in the am.

Well really minor damage. I tell the driver you buy the mirror and I will call it good.He was nice and said yep no problem.

We talked a bit and he had been with this company about 6 months and from reading posts on this site, if I had called it in he would probably would of been unemployed.
Crap happens and we got it solved with out his company knowing..