Tiny Accident, need advice

Hi all, this morning I was driving my 2017 Tacoma Trd sport to work and had a truck merge into my lane as I was passing them. They caught the driver side rear bumper of my truck, which is now kind of hanging off. I know pretty much nothing about body work, but I’m hoping someone can tell me if this is something I can fix on my own or if this will need to go to a body shop. In case anyone is wondering, I got the guys insurance information but did not make a police report as it seemed very minor and unnecessary to involve them. Photos attached!


https://ibb.co/whHSQp2
https://ibb.co/ynR9WqC

 

Not enough information. Got any pictures of the frame and bumper supports? A police report always helps with the insurance. Suggest to take it to a shop and get an estimate. My guess there is damage to the frame or bumper which is not entry level DIY.

 

They've got insurance. Take it in and get it fixed. Not your problem. You're lucky that had insurance.

 

If you do get them to pay out your insurance, now would be a great time to invest in a nice steel bumper.

 

I would start by calling your insurance provider.

It may be difficult to get the guys insurance to pay since you didn’t get an accident report.

 

I'd get 2 estimates from good body shops. 2 to make sure 1 is not off base. You'd be surprised how repair costs can add up fast. You can also get a police report any time but sooner the better. It doesn't have to at the scene of the incident with a cop present(no such thing as an accident).

 

insurance claim...this is why we pay out the ass each month.

The other guy's insurance should cover this crash.

 

Small update for people saying not enough info: I have not filed a 3rd party claim with his insurance company yet, wanted to get an idea of damages before dealing with that. Been stuck at work all morning so haven’t been able to thoroughly inspect the bumper. Frame looks totally done, just crack the body (photo below if curious, sorry for quality). Still will go through proper channels and get a repair estimate, I appreciate everyone’s input
https://ibb.co/p35Dc5y

 

Since no one has mentioned it… auto insurance laws vary by state and we don’t know which state you are in.

Regardless, I think best option is to get an estimate from a collision shop. They are typically free where I live.

 

I just went through something similar about a month ago. I went through their insurance and the total was roughly $1,500 ish to fix. I ended up going to a body shop recommended by my personal mechanic as opposed to going to one recommended by their insurance. I agree with filing a claim through their insurance. Sorry this happened to you. It sucks. Best of luck to you!

 

Call insurance. It won't be expensive to fix that. Max 1K.

Also, make sure to mention OEM parts, make sure body shop is aware to use OEM parts only if possible. Their insurance will cover rental car too prob

 

It’s hard to give you a solid answer for several reasons. It’s easy to initially look and say “easy fix” until parts start getting pulled and things aren’t lining up or more damage shows up. Just go start the claim and go from there. It pays to have your insurance file the claim for you and advocate on your behalf; it’s what you pay them for anyway. They can use points of reference to make sure there isn’t further damage, but there probably isn’t. The other guys insurance is going to try to fix it for as cheap as possible to get you on your way. Their only obligation is to “make you whole”, which means make it look kind of ok, and not oem parts and stuff, so you have to make a fight to do it right. They’ll likely put body filler in the ding to the bedside and hopefully are skilled enough to blend the paint. Also look in to seeing if your state has diminished value claims. No one will tell you, and you have to ask, but states that have it will pay you out on the difference in valuation of your vehicle now that it has an accident on record.

 

Since you have damage on the bed it will have to be painted all the way to the cab and blended and since you have a sport the decal will need to be replaced. There could be more damage when the shop tears it apart so call your insurance company and let them handle it.

It is generally recommended to call the police and have an accident report written, as it can help document the incident, protect your rights, and potentially strengthen your case if you need to file an insurance claim later, even if the damage seems minor; in some states, reporting an accident to the police may be legally required depending on the severity of the damage.

 

These are all great points. Also some states require 100% of the other party to be at fault to provide compensation, wherein if they can find you 1% at fault you don’t have to pay. Some states also have your own policy pay your own repairs even if you’re 100% not at fault. Crazy world out there.

 

ALWAYS CALL THE POLICE AND GET A REPORT.

I have a body shop and I see people do what you did and then get screwed later. I had one last month, guy got rear ended and agreed to not call the police or go thru insurance. I finished the truck ($900.00 of work) and the person who hit them won’t pay.
I feel bad for the guy so I told him he could pay me monthly.

 

Problem is they don't always come out for minor fender benders anymore or if they do, it may be hour+ as they're responding to other calls. Dashcam is the way to go but as many pictures as possible right after the fact will also help.

 

Very dependent on where you live, staffing and ongoing events at the time.

 

That’s a good point. Pictures of the incident, photo ID, both vehicles etc would be a good idea.

 

Very true

Some places you can call the police non/emergency # and report an accident after the fact
My friend hit a deer late at night and called the next morning to report it --> making his journey to get it repaired slightly easier

 

If the damage isn’t just cosmetic and you’re thinking about insurance or legal options, it might be worth consulting someone experienced. A Tulsa Truck Accident Attorney could give you a better idea of what steps to take and whether it’s worth pursuing anything further. Even for minor accidents, having legal advice can help you avoid any surprises down the road.