Just got rear ended in my new truck, what to do? any advice?

Well I thought I'd make a trip to MD and pick a gun at a killer price from a buddy. It ended up messing up my whole week.. Right after leaving my buddy's house I was sitting at a red light minding my own business. When someone hit us from behind.. I don't know their speed or what not. It wasn't anything crazy. The whole thing was just more mental than anything ( at the moment that is, will see how we feel in a few days ). My brand new truck getting hit!!.. Anyways it seems just to be the bumper (dent, scatched)and a little paint where it buckled a little into the fender. My question is what should I do? I got the person info and filed a claime with their insurance company and going to get the damage inspected tomorrow by them to see how much it's gonna cost to get it fixed.. Should I let them fix it at their location, take it to my toyota dealer, or take the money and buy me a new bumper and do it myself (big beefy off road bumper)? Also now is my new truck not worth what it was before the accident? How do I get compensated for my loss? I work hard for what I own and I don't think I should be taking a loss since it wasn't my fault. Please any help would be appreciated. Just glad we are ok. Thanks.

 

Have you contacted your insurance yet? I was told in my last accident that the only way for them to correctly figure the diminished value of the car after the accident would be to sell it and work something out then.

Oh and i would get at least two estimates just to make sure that any damage is noted and repaired. Good luck

 

I'd take the payout and upgrade with a plate bumper. I'm not sure if an incident is reported to Carfax with just a claim filed & payout. If the dealer or a repair shop does the repair, there is no doubt that it sticks with the truck.

 

I called my insurance and they said I'd have to ask her insurance company because I'm filling a claim through them. When I asked her insurance company the said after the truck gets fixed then the can declare the diminished value. Never had this happen so I don't know the proper steps and I don't want to get shafted on anything.. Thanks.

 

Pretty sure that government agencies report that information to carfax. Such as Pennsylvania Highway patrol.

 

just don't sign off on it until it is fixed as it was before the damage occurred.

 

Yea I think that's the step I'm leaning towards. I'm not trying to hide a accident just get what I deserve. I'm keeping this truck till either I die or it does ( unless toyota comes out with a nicer one later down the road.. Maybe) thanks for the info though.

 

So don't sign anything until its fixed? Is there any paper work ill have to sign before hand?but once it's fix do I sign it then get the declared diminished value? Or wait till I get it first then sign? Also if I fix it myself and go aftermarket bumper will they give me a diminished value?

 

Well it happened in Baltimore MD and when the cop showed up he was like "just move your car out of traffic" then never seen him again. He drove off without asking me what happened or my name/info

 

Hmmm didnt give the guy a ticket?

 

Will do thanks

 

Nope.. Not that I know off.. Pretty much was like hey just move over there.. It was all within 2mins so no way he coulda wrote one that fast.. ( I did a little military police and I think it woulda took some kinda paper work) he gave us a claim number. So he might be doing it back at the station.. But still He didn't ask me what happen, Get my name/info or nothing.


And it was a old lady.. And when I got out of my truck and went to her widow. I was like " umm what happened?" She said I thought u backed into me? I was ma'am I was on a decline and my truck was in drive with my foot on the brake.. There is no way my truck backed into you..

 

This is what I did with the front bumper....took the $$ amount that the repair shop quoted, added a few more hundred $ & installed the upgraded bumper in my garage.

 

I was gonna do that after I hit a whitetail, but the fender and headlight needed replacing too. 4k worth of repairs for 250 isn't a bad deal anyway.

 

Yea I'm wondering how much they would give me on the payout.. I wonder if they would just touch up that spot where the paint is chipped or have to repaint that whole side or paint a little and fade it.. Me ill just touch it up.. But what they decide will Change the payout amount I guess..

 

I replaced my banged up bumper with an All Pro rear bumper

 

Oh wow so they have you 4k and it only costed 250 to fix it all? Not bad at all

 

Nice.. Now I would have to figure out what would be the best rear bumper to get..

 

Dont know how the insurance work in the US, but if u can get them to pay you, u can get a rear plate bumper!

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/242460-show-off-your-rear-plate-bumpers.html

 

I doubt there will be "diminished value" on a claim that small. This is probably why the cop just urged you off onto the shoulder and left. It's cosmetic more than anything- the rear facebar flexed just enough to tickle the boxside.
From the look of the pictures it needs:
- 1 hour repair on boxside (doesn't even look like an hour actually)
- Remove / Install flare, taillight, upper bed rail cap, lower boxside protector
- Refinish boxside
- Replace anti- chip film on boxside
The rear bumper can go 2 ways: repair & refinish, or replace because a new one from Toyota already comes that semi-gloss black.
- New center pad
- Possibly new brackets l.h. side
The police don't report to Carfax- insurers do. Bodyshops don't, either.

As you stated, touching up the boxside would probably be just fine if that's how it goes for you