Smacked from Behind - Viper 1 Hyundai 0

[russellesq]

My first post and it is sad. A young tourist rear-ended my 2003 Vert while I was stopped at a traffic light the other night in Miami. The guy must have been speeding and not paying attention. The pavement was wet and the impact was pretty strong as it pushed my Viper about 20 feet into the intersection even with my brakes locked. He must have really slammed on his brakes in panic because the front end and hood of his silly Hyundai compact car were crushed. The Hyundai front end was pushed in like an accordion with the engine smoking and the car inoperable. I think his car somehow slid in part under the Viper because there is no damage to the trunk at all. My bumper and the cover piece over the diffuser took all the beating with major cracks and breaks.

The big question to all you experts is what should I be looking for as to other possible structural or mechanical damage from an impact like this? I know the insurance company is just going to want to put a bandaid on this and say all is well, I want to make sure I have no frame damage or other issues? Suggestions? Who would be qualified down in South Florida to look at this?

 

[eucharistos]

sad 1st post indeed

start by pulling the bumper cover and take a look

 

[CarDude]

Sounds like your neck is hurting pretty bad! You should see a docotr right away.

 

[Sellshomesdrivesviper]

Call Doug Levin for recommendations, he's in the hood.

 

[markus]

pull that bumper cover and look. i had a 10mph impact at most and wound up with frame damage, unless your frame somehow deflected him down you have a chance of a bent/dented frame as well

 

[Sandy G]

Arigo Dodge in Sunrise has a Viper tech Bryan....call Ryan in service to set up appt. Worth a try.

 

[Sandy G]

Arigo Dodge in Sunrise. Viper tech is Bryan. Good luck.

 

[v10enomous]

Sounds like another tailgating Viper Gawker...

 

[BolsOut]

pull that bumper cover and look. i had a 10mph impact at most and wound up with frame damage, unless your frame somehow deflected him down you have a chance of a bent/dented frame as well

I 2nd this. That impact energy went somewhere, and not all of it was absorbed by his car. I believe cars are only good for ONE major collision, and getting hammered 20 feet into the intersection is major. Sure, they can be repaired, but mechanical integrity, and to a lesser extent value, will forever-after be in question.

 

[Malu59RT]

Sounds like your neck is hurting pretty bad! You should see a docotr right away.

Was I the only one that laughed?

 

[TAXIMAN1]

SUPERL Auto Body. Ask for George Vitini. They are in Boca Raton. 561-479-3126

George Vitini is the owner. He goes by "2 VENEMOUS" on this board, AND has owned (and worked on) many Vipers. He knows these cars well.. the car will look new, this guy is a perfectionist.

CALL GEORGE.. Seriously, he is your man. Tell him Ron Hambrecht gave you the info.

Good luck.

 

[Phun70]

Whiplash!!!!!!!

 

[Dads Toy]

Nope, I did not laugh, but if I was him I would have a new Viper from that person's insurance and please get checked out by a doctor. you may not feel anything for several days.

Was I the only one that laughed?

 

[Martin]

Hopefully that person bought the rental car insurance...

 

[Malu59RT]

Nope, I did not laugh, but if I was him I would have a new Viper from that person's insurance and please get checked out by a doctor. you may not feel anything for several days.

I guess CarDude's joke is lost on all, inferring the typical "neck injury" personal injury claim when the OP made no comment on his personal health. I'm not laughing about the fact he got in a wreck, that's definitely not cool.

 

[Twister]

getting hit from behind with that much force surely means an injury is present or will be present in the future

 

[Kala]

Was I the only one that laughed?

+1

"Smacked from behind" can't be all that good either

 

[Dads Toy]

I hope my post wasn't taken wrong. I saw the humor in it the post. But it really ***** for the owner and those types of accidents can affect you much later. No disrespect intended.

I guess CarDude's joke is lost on all, inferring the typical "neck injury" personal injury claim when the OP made no comment on his personal health. I'm not laughing about the fact he got in a wreck, that's definitely not cool.

 

[Vic]

I thought CarDudes' post was brilliantly funny! Glad the OP is okay. But I'd have to say that the damage to the Hyundai doesn't prove he slammed on his brakes really hard, as stated. Major damage to his car could also happen if he didn't even use his brakes at all. As others have stated, obtain legal council, get an exam, have a Viper Tech check out the car. Might be bent like a banana in the vertical axis.

 

[CarDude]

I was being funny, and not all at the same time. I was rear ended about 17 years ago by an MG in my almost new Trans Am. The car hit me at 50+ miles per hour. He hit me so hard; it bent my seat frame backwards. It doesn't take much to cause a whiplash type injury. These injuries cause premature aging of the disks...things like bulging disks and the like are all a part of aging, but get them too soon, and they will age even faster. Problems will surface later, and you will wish you had sought compensation from the person/insurance company responsible for the injuries.

Second, no insurance company will just take care of you because it is the right thing to do…they are a business. If they lose a customer, no big deal, as the costs for an accident far outweigh a single customer’s short term premiums. So the care you expect for your car will be the same care they offer grandma in her Buick. If you want to be taken care of, then take care of yourself…they will not. Why do you think the process takes so long to seek better compensation, they expect you to wear out and take whatever they offer you?

Let’s just say, I am not a huge fan of how insurance companies operate.

 

[russellesq]

Thanks to all for your comments. I did not think I got any comments to the posting as there were no email updates, must be something wrong with the notifications.