Rear Ended on the way to work!

[valkmc]

Sitting dead still at a major intersection. Checked the mirror just before impact. Lucky I was first car in line and no cross traffic. Drove me into the center lane and I went down. Bike is a mess. Will post some pictures later today. The Bags and rear fender are destoryed.  The rest of the bike looked ok. I couldn't check out the underneath of the bike at the scene. Windshield took a hit and the OEM metal across the windshield looked bent.

Lady who hit me was in tears.

I got an ambulance ride. X-rays and cat scan all negative. Neck and shoulder hurt like hell until I took the happy pills they provided!  This one kind of hurts, sold my 98 in 2010. I got the urge to find one to join my F6B. Looked for about a year until I found this one last October. Enjoyed her for seven months and she is likely done!

[POPS 57]

Glad your here and posting. 

[old2soon]

     Main thing IS yer Still HERE suckin GODS good air!  Don.t be in a hurry to write off the Fat Lady. Fergit not We have Some Valkyrie maestros on this board!  RIDE SAFE.

[Rams]

Just glad you're still here.

Rams

[Jess from VA]

Man I (always) hate to hear this.  

Hope you are mostly OK.

Did she have an excuse?

Did the cops dump her phone?

Last year in my 25mph curvy neighborhood, two females had a near head-on collision in the evening just a few doors down from me (maybe missed a perfect head-on by less than a foot).  Neither hurt.  I walked down to see the results, and to tell the two responding officers I appreciated their service (which they seemed very happy to get).  Both said they had been assaulted in the county responding to calls, during that summer of love.

Told them my background and that I'd done many accident investigations.  Said I bet they were both on their phones or texting, how else do you explain driving right into each other at slower speed, with little or no braking?

They told me they did not dump phones for simple accidents without serious injury.

I suppose they may need a warrant, but they could always just ask permission.

[Valkorado]

Sorry this happened to you, what a pain in the neck (and shoulders)!  I feel it.  Was nailed at a dead stop by a Ford SUV doing 25 mph.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,107615.0.html

My neck and shoulders are still messed up, and in hindsight I wish I'd went down the avenue of filling a medical claim.  Live and learn.

Best wishes in your (and your bike's) recoveries.

[H*GLEG]

Glad you are all right. +

[valkmc]

Man I (always) hate to hear this.  

Hope you are mostly OK.

Did she have an excuse?

Did the cops dump her phone?

Last year in my 25mph curvy neighborhood, two females had a near head-on collision in the evening just a few doors down from me (maybe missed a perfect head-on by less than a foot).  Neither hurt.  I walked down to see the results, and to tell the two responding officers I appreciated their service (which they seemed very happy to get).  Both said they had been assaulted in the county responding to calls, during that summer of love.

Told them my background and that I'd done many accident investigations.  Said I bet they were both on their phones or texting, how else do you explain driving right into each other at slower speed, with little or no braking?

They told me they did not dump phones for simple accidents without serious injury.

I suppose they may need a warrant, but they could always just ask permission.

Yep I asked the trooper who came to the hospital about her phone. He said the same, serious injury or death.  She had to be distracted, she stated she never saw me.  Kind of hard not to see the fat girl when stopped unless you are distracted. He told me not to worry about it, she told him it was all, her fault and he recorded it for the insurance company. Funny thing we both have progressive.

[f6john]

Progressive is going to love that

[Sweet Cheeks]

I am sorry to hear about the accident, but am glad that you are primarily unscathed.  Hopefully the bike will be able to be restored to its prior glory.  Good luck!

Janice

[cookiedough]

let us know how the Progressive insurance claim goes and whether totalled and given a decent price or can be repaired.   Be curious as to what Progressive says.

glad you are o.k. coulda been a ton worse for you.

[..]

Sorry to read that.

They drive amongst us and sometimes into us.   

[scooperhsd]

I had a rear ender happen to  me on my PC800, (walked away without injury !), and , not only were we both with State Farm, but we had the same agent !

[Farside]

  Definitely distracted aproaching a stop light that she has been to many times I'd bet. 
Fortunately she was slowing down and you weren't an inpatient at the hospital. Prayers for a speedy recovery. 

[Hook#3287]

I had a rear ender happen to  me on my PC800, (walked away without injury !), and , not only were we both with State Farm, but we had the same agent !

It wasn't Jake, was it?

Scooperhsd, glad you feel ok

That kind of hit, I'd suspect possible physical problems down the road.  Hopefully not.

I would expect the bike frame to be tweaked.

[Louis]

I had a rear ender happen to  me on my PC800, (walked away without injury !), and , not only were we both with State Farm, but we had the same agent !

I had a PC800 then bought the Valkyrie. PC800 an interesting bike.

[scooperhsd]

That accident was several years ago. I was on my way to work, and even managed to get to work right after that ! Bike was right at being totaled (all that plastic), but the frame was OK. I finally got rid of the PC800 because the electrics were unreliable - it would shutdown suddenly while riding, and sometimes it wouldn't even start.

As for "feeling better" - not so much right now. I've done something to my lower back that has me going BACK to Physical Therapy , and seeing a chiropractor for the first time. It hurts so much that I haven't gotten the phat girl out in about 2 months, inspite of some nice riding weather (and when THIS happens, you KNOW I'm in pain !). The pain gets worse when I get "lazy" and slouch instead of sit up straight. X-rays showed a herniated L1-S1 Disc, and an unhealed broken #10 left rib (maybe from last accident in Leavenworth ?). It's slowly getting better .

[valkmc]

Well they are playing hard ball with the cash. The want to total it and claim it is worth $4K. Pisses me off
I talked to an attorney. They seem like they can go after them for medical but admit it wont be a large settlement as all X-rays and C-scans were negative.

They offered to total and ask me to send them what I want for it and some ads for the same bike for sale.
They said they would keep $500 and give me the bike.  I looked at it, the bags are toast, not one scratch on the exhaust, seat or anything else except the rear fender is shot also. I considering fighting with them over the total amount and and buying the bike back. I owned a standard for 12 years and loved it and I have an F6B if I need a tourer. Anybody got thoughts on having a salvage title.

[Jess from VA]

Scott, when my low back was killing me, the only thing that helped was walking.

I tried sitting around (resting) and heat and ice and liniment, and none of it helped.  

Walking, not fast, but the steady back and forth of the legs pulling the low back left and right on each step improved my symptoms (and muscle spasm).  It hurt to do it, but it absolutely helped.  I did cinch up an elastic back belt tight before walking.  Never been to a chiropractor.

[Jess from VA]

Well they are playing hard ball with the cash. The want to total it and claim it is worth $4K. Pisses me off
I talked to an attorney. They seem like they can go after them for medical but admit it wont be a large settlement as all X-rays and C-scans were negative.

They offered to total and ask me to send them what I want for it and some ads for the same bike for sale.
They said they would keep $500 and give me the bike.  I looked at it, the bags are toast, not one scratch on the exhaust, seat or anything else except the rear fender is shot also. I considering fighting with them over the total amount and and buying the bike back. I owned a standard for 12 years and loved it and I have an F6B if I need a tourer. Anybody got thoughts on having a salvage title.

In deciding what to do here, keep your decisions on 1) the bike and 2) your health (medical) separate in your mind and dealings.  

Make whatever deal you can live with on the bike, but it is often a good idea to delay any decision on your medial until you find out how you are really doing, and sometimes that takes awhile.  Just because some diagnostic studies are negative does not mean you might not end up much worse over a little time and require ongoing medical and therapy, and you deserve to have that covered.

The insurance co likes to make a quick package deal and be done with it and limit their losses.  But it is often a good idea to wait awhile on the medical issue to see how you are doing.  This is not to screw the ins. co out of more money, it's just to be sure you don't make a quick deal, sign the paperwork, then find out you need ongoing medical later.

Generally, you don't want a salvage title (unless you will never sell the bike again, unless to just part it out).  And just because the cost to repair may be higher than bike fair market value (ie total loss), does not mean the bike is forever unsafe to ride again.  I beat an ins co out of totaling my wife's Dakota truck, got major repairs done, and then it got inspected and passed, and no salvage title at all.  If you will try to do a buy- back, don't let them require a salvage title.  Get it inspected for frame damage (or the like), if it's all cosmetic, it's not unsafe to ride after repair.  

Some other advice:  Create a file, put every document in it, write down every point of contact name and number, try to deal with the same person each time.  Document your phone calls at hang up.  Diary what is going on by dates.  Write your questions down before calling.  This is how you stay organized and keep track of everything.  If you do seek an attorney, he can copy the file, but the original is yours.

[valkmc]

Thanks for the info Jess:

I have already made it clear that the bike and medical are completely separate. They agreed! I am in talks with a motorcycle lawyer concerning my options with medical. I already sent him the x-rays and CT Scan done in ER.

As far as the salvage title I don't care, I do not plan on reselling, my sons ride and they both want it when I'm done.  I won't buy it back unless they give me what I want. The right side bag took the hit and the exhaust was not touched at all. I know she slammed on her breaks, can't really tell how fast she was going. I am having it towed here and told them if the adjuster wants to see it he will have to come to my house. That way I can jack it up and check for hidden damage. I was surprised they let me have it without reaching a deal but they are paying for storage. They are also paying to tow it to my house. I told them they could do that or pay for the storage and I wasn't really in a hurry. It's just a big hassle that is not my fault in anyway.

[valkmc]

What the hell is wrong with people. Got the bike back in my garage and my tool roll is missing. It was in the bag that was ripped off the bike. My wife arrived within 10 minutes after the accident. There were several people picking up my stuff which was all over the road. I had a leather tool roll with wrenches sockets screwdrivers etc. About $100 dollars. My wife picked up everything people had piled up, the tow truck wasn't there yet so some jerk picked it up and put it in their vehicle. WTF.

I also can't believe they want to total the bike. The right bag is toast and the bag holder is toast, the lower rear fender is also toast as are the rear signal lights.   The tail light is not even broken. The left side bag is fine. I jacked it up started it and put it in gear. No strange sounds from the final drive and
the shocks look good and worked fine when I pushed them down and let them rebound. The exhaust on the right side has a dent about half the size of a dime in it and none of the connections going forward moved.

I hope I can talk them out of totaling it, not sure how they will take that. I'll sign whatever to have them give me a check to repair it myself if they will. They have an estimate of the parts. I guess the $165 per hour and $1000 for an estimate all from the dealership is what is causing it to be totaled.






 

[Rams]

Just wishing you the best of luck on both the bike and medical.

I still have issues from my crash, it (or I) will never be the same so, don't settle on the medical until you're sure you're good to go.

Rams

[Jess from VA]

It is my experience that most standard insurers hire expert independent contractors to do repair estimates on damaged motorcycles, or at least badly damaged ones.  Ask your insurer about this (vs the exorbitant rate being quoted from the dealer).

When my local aftermarket repair shop wrecked my bike (a Harley dresser) on a test ride, the shop owner's insurer sent an expert up from downstate to look my bike over.  That expert, my shop owner and I huddled up together to help me get the outcome I wanted, which was no total and a complete repair.  Of course, my shop owner was a friend and had a very personal interest in making things right for me, and for his public reputation (since they wrecked it).  He accepted a total labor charge well below his regualar hourly rates.

I ended up spending more than the insurance settlement from my own pocket to bring my bike back to acceptable life.  Ins would only paint the side of the bike wrecked, and considering it was over 20years old, that was going to look like hell, so I anted up my own money for a complete paint job (one color, not the factory two-tone.... which Harley refused to give me the paint codes for because there was no money in it for them).

In knocking out your settlement, perhaps there is a dollar figure compromise you can live with and they will pay with no salvage title issue, although it may mean you will be out of pocket to some extent for a complete restoration.  Don't offer too much out of your own pocket.  But if the labor charge for repair will in fact be done by you, maybe you don't get paid any or much for your own work.

Claim the stolen tools as accident loss from the insurer.  (although the more you drive the claim up, the more they will want to total it)

[valkmc]

Thanks for all the advice guys. It’s a process for sure!

[Ramie]

When my son put his almost new Bolt in a ditch.  I went with a trailer and hauled the bike home then went online and  produced a parts list from the most expensive site I could find.  Anything that was even nicked or slightly marked on the list.  When the agent showed up, I gave her a list of the parts that would need to be replaced with references.  She looked over the bike for a minute then left with the list.  He got all the money he needed plus extra for me and him doing the work ourselves.

[Chrisj CMA]

When my son put his almost new Bolt in a ditch.  I went with a trailer and hauled the bike home then went online and  produced a parts list from the most expensive site I could find.  Anything that was even nicked or slightly marked on the list.  When the agent showed up, I gave her a list of the parts that would need to be replaced with references.  She looked over the bike for a minute then left with the list.  He got all the money he needed plus extra for me and him doing the work ourselves.

That’s exactly what I did when Judy and I got knocked off the bike by a bonehead HD rider. It works

[Rams]

Well, it's been a few days since you were rear-ended, how are you feeling now?
Hope things are improving and you're doing well.

I well remember the timeframe after my crash during the healing process, it hurts to fall down and chrome is expensive.   

Rams

[valkmc]

I feel better health wise and my lawyer is taking care of the medical part of the mess. Putting together a list of parts damaged for the adjuster. Kind of on hold because I’m on my annual trip to my condo with my 3 granddaughters. I did not let a distracted driver get in the way of that. The girls look forward to it as soon as schools out. Thanks for asking!

[valkmc]

Well, the bike part of this is over. Went back and forth multiple times. I settled for $6500 and the bike back, no salvage title.
 
Now I will take some time and see what I want to do with it.

Hired a Lawyer for the medical part and they are now handling it all. The medical adjuster has stopped calling me finally.

Thanks to all that chimed in with advice. Definitely made me take a tougher stand.