Should I trust my hitch?

jim1521 wrote:
Disagree. If you don't get satisfaction there are plenty of law firms that will be more than happy to take your case. You won't pay unless you win. And they won't go after them for small change either, because they're getting 35-40% of the judgement. If that adjuster doesn't want to settle with you, Dewey, Cheatham, & Howe will be happy to represent you.

Sounds like someone has been watching too many television commercials. Most of those leaches, I mean lawyers, are chasing big personal injury payoffs.

I have...twice

1980 C10 Silverado in my sig was both dauthers first daily. Kids in High School referred to it as "The Truck"

Eldest got rear ended by a full sized American Sedan...pushed her into the full sized American Sedan in front of her. Totaled BOTH of those sedans.

Adjuster didn't believe the rear bumper was damaged enough to warrant replacement...nor that the frame was out of alignment

Wrote a two page letter and pictures of the underside/bumper/gussets/etc to the rear-end guy's insurance. Sent it certified requiring a signature. Outlined the severity of two full sized American Sedan's totaled (my insurance paid for the one in front, as our truck rear-ended them...but passed it onto the rear guys insurance).

Referenced several areas of concern and took stuff out of my metals and strength of materials text books from college

That would hold them liable for any future issues caused by that bent rear bumper (modified it with several gussets and had it hot dipped in Zinc)

Cc'd to my lawyer and insurance.

Talked and educated my insurance broker about this and gave permission to hire a ME/PE if necessary

The other insurance insisted on a 1:1 face off. Okay, knew could hold my own with their PE/ME. They caved, but would NOT pay for hot dip Zinc..okay with me, as was going to weld stuff even better...so that $39 buck hot dip was paid for by me...

Similar situation with sister who got rear ended in her tiny Datsun 510. They totaled it and showed them receipts for all of the modifications over the years by her big brother. They caved after they talked to sisters insurance adjuster.

rdhetrick wrote:

jim1521 wrote:

rdhetrick wrote:
This forum cracks me up sometimes. Send the insurance company a letter putting them on notice? Yeah, that'll scare them into doing the right thing.

From my experience, it boils down to the luck of the draw with the adjuster they assign to your case. Sure you can argue with them, point things out, tell them they're wrong, etc. but you'll end up losing.

Be nice, point out your concerns to the adjuster, and take what they give you. Unless you want to spend thousands hiring a lawyer trying to be made "whole."

I'm sorry you were in an accident, accept it, move on, get camping again, and enjoy life.

Disagree. If you don't get satisfaction there are plenty of law firms that will be more than happy to take your case. You won't pay unless you win. And they won't go after them for small change either, because they're getting 35-40% of the judgement. If that adjuster doesn't want to settle with you, Dewey, Cheatham, & Howe will be happy to represent you.

Have you or anyone you personally know actually done this? Everyone's seen the ads on tv, but I don't know a single person that has used any of them. If it were really that "easy", everyone would do it every time they are in an accident. The insurance companies would have learned long ago that they couldn't get away with low-ball payouts, and we would all be made whole every time without having to get a lawyer involved.

jim1521 wrote:

rdhetrick wrote:
This forum cracks me up sometimes. Send the insurance company a letter putting them on notice? Yeah, that'll scare them into doing the right thing.

From my experience, it boils down to the luck of the draw with the adjuster they assign to your case. Sure you can argue with them, point things out, tell them they're wrong, etc. but you'll end up losing.

Be nice, point out your concerns to the adjuster, and take what they give you. Unless you want to spend thousands hiring a lawyer trying to be made "whole."

I'm sorry you were in an accident, accept it, move on, get camping again, and enjoy life.

Disagree. If you don't get satisfaction there are plenty of law firms that will be more than happy to take your case. You won't pay unless you win. And they won't go after them for small change either, because they're getting 35-40% of the judgement. If that adjuster doesn't want to settle with you, Dewey, Cheatham, & Howe will be happy to represent you.

Have you or anyone you personally know actually done this? Everyone's seen the ads on tv, but I don't know a single person that has used any of them. If it were really that "easy", everyone would do it every time they are in an accident. The insurance companies would have learned long ago that they couldn't get away with low-ball payouts, and we would all be made whole every time without having to get a lawyer involved.

Take your vehicle to a reputable body shop and have it inspected!!! Really, I made this same mistake some years back and assumed everything was fine (after a much-lower-speed collision than yours), only to find later on that the place where the receiver bolted onto the frame had been damaged. The rearmost mount points were ruined... the piece they bolted to eventually broke off from the rest of the frame! I ended up having a welding shop fix it. They welded two steel straps that ran from the back of the receiver to the frame sides so the assembly was reinforced, made stronger than original. My point is, let the experts at the body shop make sure all is truly ok before you sign off on the insurance settlement.

rdhetrick wrote:
This forum cracks me up sometimes. Send the insurance company a letter putting them on notice? Yeah, that'll scare them into doing the right thing.

From my experience, it boils down to the luck of the draw with the adjuster they assign to your case. Sure you can argue with them, point things out, tell them they're wrong, etc. but you'll end up losing.

Be nice, point out your concerns to the adjuster, and take what they give you. Unless you want to spend thousands hiring a lawyer trying to be made "whole."

I'm sorry you were in an accident, accept it, move on, get camping again, and enjoy life.

Disagree. If you don't get satisfaction there are plenty of law firms that will be more than happy to take your case. You won't pay unless you win. And they won't go after them for small change either, because they're getting 35-40% of the judgement. If that adjuster doesn't want to settle with you, Dewey, Cheatham, & Howe will be happy to represent you.

This forum cracks me up sometimes. Send the insurance company a letter putting them on notice? Yeah, that'll scare them into doing the right thing.

From my experience, it boils down to the luck of the draw with the adjuster they assign to your case. Sure you can argue with them, point things out, tell them they're wrong, etc. but you'll end up losing.

Be nice, point out your concerns to the adjuster, and take what they give you. Unless you want to spend thousands hiring a lawyer trying to be made "whole."

I'm sorry you were in an accident, accept it, move on, get camping again, and enjoy life.

Bluie...just the title...your question says it all...you question your receiver...listen to that inner voice...

Everything is in your favor with insurance...either they will live up to their positioning after your letter putting on notice of their positioning...therefore their liability of thousands to tens of thousands of bucks over a couple hundred buck receiver...

Ditto everything else involved with the food chain of absorbing that rear ender...from the trailer rear bumper...through the trailer...through the WD Hitch system...to the TV receiver...to the TV frame...to the human's inside that TV...

Know what I'd do, but you...the OP...must make that decision(s) and live with it...

We were pulling a double axle snowmobile trailer (16' aluminum tilt bed) with a mattress on it that we had purchased when we were rear ended. We were stopped due to traffic in front of us, mini van behind us hit us at about 35mph. The back edge of our trailer went into her grill above the bumper and pushed the radiator back. It bent our stinger (part that goes into receiver and has trailer ball on it). The receiver looked ok, we had some discomfort that a few sessions with chiro and a few massages took care of, they opened two separate claims, one for the trailer and our medical, the second for the tow vehicle. Other insurance company tried to get us for partial fault, but when that did not work, they paid the claim. If you suspect receiver or any part of hitch is damaged, insist it is replaced. It is a small portion of the claim when you look at the back of your trailer and the medical.

If there was enough left of the trailer to tow it home, you shouldn't have to worry much about the truck's frame.

I don't trust "inspections" because all they do is LOOK at it. Nothing more than a casual glance, maybe with a trouble light. If it's not very obviously cracked/torn/bent, they give it a clean bill of health.

Frankly I'm surprised you didn't have to bring the trailer home in a dumpster. Either that's one sturdy trailer or the Ford Escort that hit it was made of corn flakes.

Since the wreck was not your fault, the other person's insurance company is responsible to make you "whole" again. They must pay to repair or replace any items damaged or pay you the fair market value of any item not repaired or replaced. A request to have the hitch inspected by a qualified inspector is not unreasonable. They may very well claim their inspector is qualified, and he or she may very well be qualified. You can ask what credentials make the inspector qualified. You can also hire an independent inspector yourself and demand payment.

If you not yet have "soft tissue" injury from the forces of the wreck, you may start to feel pains, and you are due compensation from the insurance company for your pain and suffering. Also, some states allow for payment for diminished value- that is the amount your vehicles are now worth having been damaged and repaired as opposed to never have been damaged.