Any actual auto body guys here? I have a question about what is considered totaled.

[Budnicks]

No that did not happen... This was my other son going to see his girl friend.

good luck with the insurance company

I got in a bad wreck, 2 other people hit me &
they both had the same insurance as I did...

It totaled my 76 Power Wagon I just put like $10K parts alone in 1980's $$
in fixing it up & lift/wheels tires, new front & rear Dana-60s
new engine 360/727 trans, rebuild NP transfercase etc.
they lowballed me bigtime like $5k (IIRC) until I mentioned a lawyer
they gave me $12k in total,
then I had them, covered all my medical, I didn't think I wasn't hurt bad
just bruises & a hairline fracture in my left arm,
(but; I have longterm damage 2 compressed disc's in my back from it,
didn't know until way later, because my trucks shoulder/seatbelts stretched enough
to hit my head on the windshield, my chest on the steering wheel & bounced back
to take out the slider behind my head out too, had a nice headache for a few days)
my poor dog, a Lab/Duke
he was shoved up under the dash, had to have stiches in his head & shoulder
all of which they eventually covered,
only after me mentioning getting a lawyer again...

*the insurance were reluctant to go after the 2 dudes racing to a jobsite
who had the same co. State Farm Insurance
It'd be like punishing themselves...
I had them some 10+ years after the wreck too, has them for 20+ years (in total)

(they are no longer in Calif. shortly after that, or were)

2 Carpet installers, driving in;
2) fully loaded with rolls of carpet in 2) 1 tone Dodge 'MMM Carpet' Vans,
it sandwiched me against the retaining wall, when stopped on a freeway
waiting for traffic to move...

I had nowhere to go, just braced for impact
It shoved me into a Mini Van & the retaining wall,
they were going like '40mph still' when they simultaneously hit me
one from the rear & another one from the passenger side rear
on hwy 24 going from Concord towards Oakland/Caldicot Tunnel
of SF East Bay Area...

It bent my chassis & bed, rear Dana-60, it took out the battery,
cracked the trans housing, mangled the radiator & hood, left front fender
pretty much of the Dana-60 front end too, everything was bent
it still started & ran, I was the only one who drove off...

I almost cried when I saw the damage, didn't feel hurt,
just my arm hurt a but, I was worried about my dog bleeding...
It was hit so hard, I had high-top Converse tennis shoes still 'laced up'
& one of them was across the freeway '4 lanes', glass everywhere

I had way more then that in the whole truck, parts alone
+ fresh build/paint too, custom etched window, new interior/leather etc.

I wasn't really the lawsuit type, but used it as a leverage
so they paid me more, then they would have originally

my Lawyer buddy Jackson said;
he could have got me 10 times what they paid me
for pain & suffering alone & he'd take 40%
oh well

sorry for the long explanation, just to make a lil' point

 

[Budnicks]

I can only see so far behind the impact bar until I take it apart. But it looks like the quarter panel is ok. Its just the impact bar and what it is directly attached to that I don't know.

I'd take it to a professional paint body shop or 2
get 2 estimates, at a min.
get a professional/s opinion, in writing
it's your choice who does the repairs & whether to keep the rig or not

(been thru it with several employees, my co. trucks, several times)

if nobody is hurt

read your policy well, know where you stand
if you don't like the settlement offer, it's not final until you sign off
then maybe a lawyer, consultation at a min.

I can just about 'guarantee they are going to lowball you', big time
especially if it's the same company, who insured both cars

once a car has a salvaged title you can't change that
it will have to be recertified by like state police DMV or Sherrif etc.
to get the registered again
Salvage title, cuts the value in at a min. 1/2,
& you need to be made whole

 

[WileE]

Depending on your state, you may have recourse on the responsible party's policy for what's called "diminished value". What that means is: the value of your car in it's fully repaired state, is lower than the same vehicle which has never been damaged. You may be entitled to what the difference in values is on your vehicle. Your collision coverage is for the actual damages. The responsible party's liability coverage will be ultimately the coverage to which all damages are paid, as the "at fault" party. That coverage is responsible for paying all damages, including diminished value if that is in your state's mandate.