Just remember, it can always get worse.

[pat83t]

Last Tuesday evening I dropped my oldest boy off at cub scouts. I decided that my printer at home was officially dead so I decided to go to Target to look into getting another one. I pulled in the parking lot and found a secluded parking space for the T-Type. My wife, my youngest son, and I stroll into the store and head to Electronics. After being in the store for about 3-4 minutes, my stomach starts feeling like crap. It hurt bad and for no apparent reason. About 1 minute later there is an annoucement over the P.A.: "Would the owner of a maroon Buick Regal with license number 123-ABC, please come to the customer service desk." I knew right then that something was wrong. If I had left my lights on they would have just announced that. My wife just joking around said "somebody hit your car". I get up to the service desk and the lady tells me that somebody in a red Camaro came screaming into the parking lot and hit my car then took off. As luck would have it, there were 2 eyewitnesses that got description of the car, driver, and the license number. I immediately called the police. They came and took reports from me and both witnesses and are investigating. I just keep telling myself that it could have been worse. The Camaro was an 84 so it had fiberglass bumper. There could have been no witnesses, and the damage could be more extensive. Here is some pics of the damage.

http://pat83t.tripod.com/my83t/id23.html

 

[fc227]

Pat,

Sorry for your loss. However, you are right it could have been allot worst. That body damage can be repaired. No one was hurt? , If someone were hurt that would be worst.
Did the other driver have insurance? He probably did more damage to his car. However, he was clearly at fault. Did the police ticket him?

 

[Ttype83]

Dang Pat sorry to hear/see that. Like Fred I'm glad that you and the family were not hurt or some one walking in the parking lot.
It doesn't look to bad....I know it's yoour baby...I've been there too. Hopefully this kid will learn a valvable lesson from this and pay to have it fixed right.

Jim

 

[bakerlaw67]

Sorry for your loss. Sheesh! Sounds like something you'd say at a funeral, not the emergency room. I echo the happiness that no humans were involved, and I repeat NO humans, because humans face up to their responsibility and accept consequences for their actions!

Good luck on the repairs. Its a good thing you documented the restoration so carefully. It will be important for the opposing insurance company (or yours possibly under the uninsured motorist coverage) to see that this wasn't your "run-of-the-mill" Grannie's original, roached-out Regal. This might be a good reminder to everyone to photographically document their cars, not just for insurance or accident purposes, but for the cops if (god-forbid) ever recover it after being stolen. Sometimes, if the VIN has been pulled/changed, it is the subtle things that might verify your baby's ID.

INSIST ON GENUINE GM REPLACEMENT if they have to replace anything - especially because you're not paying. A great argument can be made for keeping the car "original" due to its "rarity" and "special interest". We all know the reality, but I doubt that the pencil pushers do, and will do anything to avoid trial over a few hundred dollars. Push them hard. They can afford it considering the legal expenses to have an attorney respond to your lawsuit would more than likely exceed the total bill for repairs done properly!

 

[pat83t]

Well actually the police told me that thier work load is to heavy to get somebody to run out to the suspects house just to find out if they were home, however if they know that they are home then they will come out. The suspect is actually a 40 year old woman. I was starting to be nervous that I was up a creek, (no un-insured motorist on my insurance but there will be now.) but tonight I went by there and it is a nice, big house, huge yard, and 90's chevy dually in the driveway. I am hoping that she just got scared and ran. I will make sure she pays for what she did. I was told that if I take her to civil court that they can't push through criminal charges but, if they push criminal charges they will force her to pay restitution. Either way I get the court to order her to pay me back, but by going criminal she gets hit harder so I will have to go that way. I too am glad that nobody was hurt, other than our feelings. I am thoroughly convinced I am linked to my car now. It was the last project me and my dad were working on before he passed away. I think that it was really odd that my stomach started hurting about 1 min. before the announcement.

 

[Tonya83T]

I'm sorry

I am sorry to hear this news. We all know what your car means to you. I bet you did feel sick, your instincts sure knew something that you didn't. I'm glad no one was hurt. You are very lucky there were witnesses & that you found the person. I sure hope you will be done straight by the insurance companies. They never seem to pay for all the damages. Also thank goodness the damage is repairable. Good Luck to you!

 

[pat83t]

UPDATE.

Well here is the newest news. I went up to Castle Rock which is where the suspect lives and about 10 miles up the freeway. I contacted the police when I got thier and found out that they were home. The officer went over there and talked to the 40 year-old lady and as it turns out, she wasn't driving the car and didn't know anything about it. The officer asked her if anybody else drove the car and she said yes, her daughter. The daughter got brought down to talk to the officer and admitted that she hit my car. She then told the officer that she "didn't see any damage" and "waited around for a half an hour". She has insurance but is still being charged with the hit and run. In Washington state minors have a probationary license. She will end up loosing this for at least a year. Hope she likes the school bus.

 

[Two Lane]

Originally posted by bakerlaw67
I echo the happiness that no humans were involved, and I repeat NO humans, because humans face up to their responsibility and accept consequences for their actions!

Amen, Baker!!

Lots of pertinent advice in this thread!

Pat, with a situation like this, sounds like all will turn out as good as it possibly can, thanks to your diligence.

I know your car is priceless to you because of its family history and the life-long memories you've made with it.

My advice:

Get 3 estimates...yes, three, from the shops in your area that do all the high-end custom work. Be sure to tell them to write it up where they spare no expense in their meticulous restoration of your car.

Do offer to pay them up front for their estimates, because a truly comprehensive estimate takes considerable time & attention. Do make the offer, but most shops won't take it anyway...but your offer shows you're not just another "flake" wasting their time. They will appreciate your offer, and just may take a more personal interest in the micro-details of writing up your estimate.

The reason for the 3 estimates from the top-of-line shops?
When you present your paperwork to the Court, you need to show bullet-proof & indisputable documentation of the damage. 3 estimates tend to indicate an objective standard/range of the real-world costs in your area.

Most times, the Court will average the 3 & ask if that is acceptable to you. As a reasonable person, your answer is of course, "Yes", but be sure to ask the Court for an order for prompt, if not immediate, restitution...prompt = no more than 10-30 days. Meet with the prosecuting attorney before the case is called to provide him with copies of your documentation.

Stern Judges will require immediate restitution & payment of fines/costs on the spot, or else the young lady will be taken into custody. You can guess how any Judge will view the evasive, hit-and-run scenario!

One hopes she learns a SERIOUS lesson from this experience NOW, before she grows into just another irresponsible dishonest adult.

Please keep us posted, Pat.

HTH

 

[pat83t]

Ok, here it is, the updated page with the complete repair done. Sorry I haven't updated in awhile but have been busy helping people get thier street rods ready for summer.

http://pat83t.tripod.com/my83t/id23.html