Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General my car is probally totalled

quick post..have to go empty out my 98 contor
but wanted to comsult with some people..

Need legal advice...

IM sitting here at home..look at my window when i hear my horn going off, look and my neighbor has barreled down the street and plowed right into the front of my car....my car has major front end damage, everyones airbags deployed and pushed my car from being in park a good 45 feet im guessing...
police report filed now...going to have it towed...most likely will be totalled...ugh
i have taken about a dozen pics i can use...
also..she was arrested..DUI..pills i think.

so..what are my options someone?
im freaking out here...

you should have ran out and gotten into the car and playing hurt. insurance will probably get you a rental and pay for repairs or pay you for your car. tell them about custom work and you will get more

I'm assuming she was insured. If so, its not too big a deal, just a hassle. Call her insurance company & ask for a rental until they pay FULL RETAIL for your Contour. They should pay for a rental until the claim is settled.

They'll try to stick you with wholesale or trade-in for your car, but you'll have to make the point that you'll be shopping retail & that's what they should pay. Additionally, they dispose of the car for you (usually without asking) so you don't get the benefit of parting it out or getting any salvage money out of it - they do. You should get that money, not them.

You may want to get a free consultation with an attorney. Ask if the insurance company should pay you retail. He'll say "Yes". Then you can tell them what "your attorney" said & it won't cost you a dime.

If she's not insured, you definately need an attorney.

she was insured, there insurance has already been here and will file a claim.
im very new at all this and very worried...
i probally will contact a attorney sometime tomorrow.
can i still force them to get me a rental even they im not employed? im worried that i have to be at school come sunday..to move everything in.I have a lot to move, and this is an 85 mile trip.

thanks for help all..
back to unloading..taking more pics.

hehe..yea i was posting to get some suggestion while running out the door to unpack the car. rain was starting to come down

my cars dead...ill see if i can post some pics later
radiator is smashed way in and hopefullt hasnt done any damage to the motor or cat or whatever is there.
but both air bads deployed, hood destroyed, front bumper destroyed, radiator, power steering cooling radiator( i think thats what it is?)

ugh..i know its totalled..but holding out for chance, due to milesage..only 63,8xx on 1998 ford contour gl 2.0 ztec



i had really started liking this one and thinging of doing some mods.

hmm..you bring up good points and i will be in touch with a laywer tomorrow when i find one. should i push to get a rental tomorrow then? the cars cant be towed tonight, will be done in morning.

thanks everyone for the help..i have cleaned her out and have made several trips out looking at ever detail i can think of...plenty of pics from all angles.

63,840 miles....i only got her in november, and have barelyt put 11,000 on her.
sad day...cant even park your car in the front of your house when your crazy neigbor plows through it.

btw...we learned who wins between a parked 98 contour and a 01 ford taurus (ugh i think it is)

yea...not much to hers..mines..yea..horrible
anyone know how fast you must be going to make the airbags deploy...officer said around 45 is what he thought.

i thought it was 15?

I had a similar thing happen to me back in 1997.. Guy driving a newly restored old F-150 fell asleep at the wheel, and rammed my GMC Jimmy straight into a tree in my neighbor's yard. My alarm going off woke me up (it was 4:30am when it happened).

It was a royal PITA dealing with the guy's insurance company, but it eventually got worked out. My only problem was that the guy's insurance adjuster didn't come out for 2 days, and I couldn't get a rental until he showed up. Not a huge deal, since I had another car at the time, but was still an inconvenience. The part that sucked is that I had to FIGHT just to get a Corolla, they were trying to put me in a Ford Aspire! The whole ordeal took just over a month, and I drove the crap out of that Corolla in the meantime.

Your insurance company can help you figure things out, but his insurance company will be paying for everything so you'll ultimately be dealing with them. Good luck with everything.