"Click, Click, Boom" is a song by Saliva, but BOOM is what I heard on Wednesday when the Jeep got sandwiched in traffic. Yup - hit from behind and pushed into the car in front of me.
I was at a light a couple of cars back. The light changed & I took my foot off the brake, but realized that the car in front of me wasn't moving. Went to put my foot back on the brake (I really don't know if I had gotten there or not) and BOOM when I was hit behind then boom again as I hit the car in front of me.
Both guys were really nice. The guy in front of me (in a CRX) confirmed that I wouldn't have hit him if I wasn't hit from behind. The guy behind me (in a mini van) thought I had hit the car in front of me and then he hit me.
The damage to the car in front of me & to my front end wasn't too bad. I'm sure the CRX will need to get his bumper replaced & so will I along with a new license plate holder & a grill which has a crack in it. You can see how the front end is all out of alignment just a tad bit.
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| front of jeep & CRX after impact |
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After the CRX moved forward some so we could see the damage.
There's my license plate on the ground |
The back of the jeep didn't look too bad at the scene. I thought maybe I would just need a bumper and maybe a hatch.
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| Back of Jeep at scene |
We all thought that the van had a majority of the damage.
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| The van that hit me. |
We were all able to drive home. However, when I was about 1 mile from home, I started to smell burnt plastic. Then when I got home, I really looked at the backend damage.
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| Back of Jeep |
I thought that (protective) piece underneath was plastic (which was why I could smell burnt plastic), but it's METAL! That piece is supposed to be straight and you don't see it when you look under the car!
Then I was thinking - how could only the hood get a lot of damage on the van behind me - he must of went underneath me and I was up in the air! Which would have made sense since if you look of the pic of the van. I didn't move up any from where I stopped. There was a good 5 or more feet between us. The guy must had just gassed it when he saw my brake lights off to do that much damage. This wasn't no fender bender.
What was distriburing through all of this was all the people driving by screaming - get out of the road! Well, there was no way to get out of the road because the traffic would NOT stop! The only way we got over was when the cop stopped the traffic. Only one person yelled - is everyone ok.
Once the cop got there, we got off the road into the parking lot that was right there. The cop said that the guy in back of me was at fault. Not sure if he was charged with anything or not.
I was basically in shock the whole time. Trying not to get stressed out. I think the guy I hit could tell because he kept asking me "Are you ok?" I could tell that I was kind of out of it. Well, that continued through Thursday. Just not feeling right, sore, no appetite. Part of the stress was I had to keep repeating myself about the accident and I still hadn't talked to my insurance agent until Friday!
Let me just say, Nationwide is definitely on my side. I called when I got home & when I told the rep that I could smell burnt plastic, he said he agreed to be on the safe side and not drive it. He set me up with a rental for pickup on Thursday.
Wednesday night about 8 pm (the accident happened about 6:20 pm), I started feeling the pain in my neck, shoulder and lower back & sat with the heating pad the rest of the night.
Thursday morning, we went and got the rental and I went right to the chiropractor. I was just there on Monday for my monthly alignment, so before the accident I was fine. Dr Erin said that I basically reverted back to 1 1/2 years ago with all of the tension. She also said that it was good thing that I didn't see the hit from the back coming because I would have tensed up.
I felt much better after the hour long session (that's the longest I've ever been in there!). However, I still felt out of it the rest of the day. When we were going to the car rental, Dan kept asking "are you ok? You don't seem yourself". Then all day I just didn't feel that great - mentally and no appetite. Even at the hockey game that night I seemed a little out of it.
Thursday, I had spoken with the Nationwide towing and they also agreed that it would be safer to have it towed. I had opened the door that morning and the odor was STRONG - not a good sign. They came by and picked up the Jeep and by Friday, the auto body company called to get a verbal ok to start taking the Jeep apart.
I spoke with Liberty Mutual (the van's insurance) and they had already spoken with their client & the guy I hit and all our statements agreed. They told me that everything would be paid for by them (including medical and my deductable!).
I was still a little stressed until Friday afternoon, because I still hadn't spoken to the agent assigned to me. We kept playing phone tag. Finally we caught up with each other and she had already spoken with everyone else so everything was ok. Here's another reason why Nationwide is on my side - because the car was taken to a Nationwide adjuster & autobody shop, the rental is unlimited. So no matter how long it takes to get the Jeep fixed, I have a rental (our usual policy is a $600 limit).
Now, just waiting to see what the damage amount is on the jeep. I am a little worried that it might be totaled. It just depends on if the frame was bent in the back & if not that, how much the jeep is worth versus the cost to fix it. All I know is that last time (with the fender bender in the parking lot at Goodyear), it was over $2K - that was for a new back bumper and fixing the dent in the hatch.
Physically, I'm ok. Yesterday & today I've been sore. I think I'll be going to the Chiro tomorrow for another adjustment then maybe I'll be all set (I hope).
