Just was rearended... 1975 Jimmy RIP

[Mike Phillips]

He was given two citations...

1. Careless Driving
2. Driving while license suspended with knowledge


I'm not a dishonest guy, I don't want more than what's fair but I don't want less.  Most of the people in my circles see my truck as an old truck, that's because they all drive brand new cars and trucks.  I completely understand that way of thinking.  But after living in California and going through their "Smog Program", I told myself I would never own a car newer than 1975 just to avoid the government helping me to keep my cars running good.  I like things "I" can work on.  I can take that truck apart with a blindfold on, it would be dangerous but I could do it.  I can't work on a new car or truck and even though when they are "brand new", new cars and trucks don't need work, but down the road as they get older they just get disposed of at some point.  New cars and trucks are not becoming "Classics" that people hold on to.  There's exception to that like Viper's Corvettes, maybe Mustangs and the new Camaro's in the future, but seriously, unless it came from the factory with chrome bumpers and glass headlights it's not collectible and I don't care for it.

I like an old truck.  I like to be able to pull things and haul things.  I like a big block Chevy.  This truck was paid for so while my friends don't get how I can pay the gas bill, I don't get how they can pay the car payment.  I never spend more in gas than most people spend on their monthly car payment for just one car.  Besides all that, it's so much fun to drive ANYTHING with a big block Chevy engine.  Heck just idling is fun.

So right now I'm going to be patient and get my ducks in a row.  If Allstate comes back and tries to low-ball me then I'll have to look at my options like getting my own appraiser and hiring a lawyer.

[Lt.Del]

driving while license suspended with knowledge.

man, an atty will love to be on your side.  I wonder what this driver did before to get his license suspended, ummm, more wrecks?  He doesn't learn his lesson.  Make him learn.

Remember, he did this to you while conducting a criminal act.  His license was suspended.  He is going to jail. 

[SLOW-N-LOW74]

WOW!!!  That really sux, glad to hear you are ok. And as far as what you were saying about california's "smog program" i totally agree with you on that i also love the classics as i have 2.  GOOD LUCK

[bigkountry]

Hate that this happened, I really enjoyed following the build thread...plus my wife loved the way it looked.

Glad that you are ok and hope everything turns out the best for ya.

[choptop]

I agree, Im very glad you walked away from this. That is praise worthy in itself, but he did commit vehicular homicide in my eyes......a very nice Jimmy is no longer with us. He should pay. No liscnense, what if you didnt walk away or your kids were with you...he should pay. One mistake, okay, we all have done it, but he lost his liscense for a reason and knew it. To me that reckless endangerment. I agree with Vile as well, he wouldnt have walked away. Id blame it on adrenaline and fear. I think its called post tramatic stress.

[Lt.Del]

I think its called post tramatic stress

it's called PBTD

Post Blazer Traumatic Disorder

[team39763]

PBTD. LOL.
Mike it sounds like you were very attatched to your truck...and I like all your reasoning too.  That sucks that you had to lose it like that.  I have a feeling that my trucks days are numbered.  I live near the border and license/insurance is not a common thing around here and people drive like idiots around here.

[Mike Phillips]

Received a voice mail from Tim S. from Allstate and he said he has a value back on the vehicle and we can use that as a starting point and talk about it.

I'm going to guess it's nowhere near what it will cost to buy a Jimmy or Blazer in similar condition.

So I guess I need to find my own appraiser and even look at hiring a lawyer to fight for me.

Are there any discussion forums for things like this?

How does one go about finding an appraiser that deals with classic cars?

[frogman68]

Will his insurance even cover this ? he was willingly driving on the revoke list cant they say sorry not covering ? Dont want to put a damper on this but it seems an out for them.
On the same note (hopefully mommy and daddy have money ) you can sue him for the value plus the punitive and still keep it (Lawn ornament ??)

[Mike Phillips]

Will his insurance even cover this ? he was willingly driving on the revoke list cant they say sorry not covering ? Dont want to put a damper on this but it seems an out for them.
On the same note (hopefully mommy and daddy have money ) you can sue him for the value plus the punitive and still keep it (Lawn ornament ??)

So far Allstate seems to be accepting the claim.  This truck belonged to the kids dad and the dad had insurance on the truck.  That's about as much as I know so far.

I'm flying to my house in California for the holidays and will have a chance to get all my reciepts together for my truck.  I have the original eBay page and the bill of sale.

Makes me never want to have anything nice again, it will just get hit.

 

[oldyeller]

Sure hope all works out.  It was a beauty.  Hate to see it gone. 

[Mike Phillips]

The Allstate Insurance Adjuster just called and said they would offer me $1300.00 for my truck.

What a joke.


 

[frogman68]

The Allstate Insurance Adjuster just called and said they would offer me $1300.00 for my truck.

What a joke.


 

He missed at least one 0 right ??

[Captkaos]

Ask him to find a comparable for that price.  1973-1975 Blazers are not that easy to find in that condition, and they demand well over 5x what they offered.  The drivetrain alone is worth more than that MINUS the motor, body and wheels.  JUST a body tub for one would cost you more than $1300..

What a JOKE.  Total up the number of insurance payments you have made on the truck, I guarantee it will be more than $1300!, get that and tell him you just want your money back with standard bank interest.

 I would get EVERY receipt you have along with the ebay listing and and then tell him you are going to talk to a lawyer and you will be getting back with him.  FIGHT this, he is low balling you hoping you will settle.

[smitty77]

What a ripoff!  When I went to Title my son's 1979, I had to pay sales tax on NADA book value because it was over 25 years old, even with a bill of sale for $900.  I'd like to say the Mass RMV valued it at $2000 sight unseen.  Right now, average retail for my 1979 1/2 ton Chevy shortbed is $4750 according to NADA.

For your truck (using my zip, don't know yours) NADA states: $6,825 (low retail), $13,910 (average retail), $17,875 (high retail).  This is with the 30% premium for having a 454 engine.  So tell him to p!$$ in his hat and get a good attorney.
FWIW, I'd consider yours high retail.

Mike, you seem like an honest guy who only wants a fair shake, but I beg of you to try and get a good legal team on your side and take this kid and his family for everything they own.  My wife was rear-ended while waiting for a school bus by a guy who said "the sun was in his eyes" (heading north, don't think so!).  She was putting herself through college at the time, in her senior year, and working 40 hours a week to pay the bills.  The scumbag group of lawyers she used switched the attorneys handling her case mid-way through and botched the whole thing up.  She ended up taking a very low-ball settlement so that she could buy another car and get on with her life.

Fast forward 5 years later and she develops arthritis in her neck, which leads to a host of physical problems aside from constant headaches and back pain.  That's when she quit working.  I've watched her suffer with chronic pain for ten years, she still can't work, she can't sleep at night, and she doesn't qualify for disability (we've been down that road 5 times or more).  This woman used to unload trucks for a large grocery store and work as an EMT on an ambulance lifting half of 250+ lbs all day long.  She wasn't frail by any means, but now she's crippled by pain some days.  Taking Ibuprofin for 10 years straight (doctor's prescription) has rotted her stomach and esophagus so much she can't take that anymore to take the edge off.  As a comparison, she's delivered 2 kids and said she would take the pain of labor any day over what she lives with constantly.

My point is, you don't know what this accident might have done to your body, and you may not find out until years later.  Get what you can now, even if you think you're being a pig (which you are not).  Once a settlement is reached the road ends, you don't get to go back for more.  Get what you can now!  There isn't a day that goes by where I don't want to find the dirtbag that hit my wife and get the rest of what he owes her out of him with a crowbar.

Find a GOOD personal injury attorney.  They will have their own group of preferred doctors for you to see, and they will build your case around their findings.  I really, sincerely hope that you have no lasting effects from this accident.  But the fact that your truck didn't crumple means your body took most of the force.  My wife's little Ford Escort was in similar condition, he hit the passenger corner and popped the hatch glass out (which broke across her head) but the car was otherwise drivable and looked like it was just in a fender-bender and not a 35 mph collision.

Good luck Mike!  I hope you get what is just and fair, and hopefully more to cover the unforeseen down the road.