The appraiser just left. He was very kind. He walked around Miranda and documented all the existing damage and made me list all her options, including the solar panel. He couldn’t tell me anything, only that he will make his report and recommendation to the adjuster. He looked at the invoice for the brake service and agreed that I wasn’t anywhere due for that kind of work again. I told him that I won’t let the mechanic start until there is an okay from the insurance company because I am not going to pay for this work even if it means having to sue. I am through being a pushover.
I will confess that I’ve been holding it together since this happened, but I lost it with him. I didn’t realise just how worried I was that, because of Miranda’s age, the insurance company might decide to just write her off. The way the guy was talking and asking me questions and hemming and hawing, the fear just became too much. I was absolutely mortified, but that was enough to push him to reassure me that he saw no evidence for that and that the rig will easily be road worthy again.
The rental car situation is approaching resolution and I’m hoping to get the car by noonish. I can’t check into the hotel till four (they are booked solid), so I’d like to be on the road by three. I’ll shower, have a nap, and then pick up my friend around 7. So the day might not be a total write-off after all.
I’m hoping to get a good night’s sleep there, then spend the afternoon with my friend. Her mom is making dinner for me Friday night and you have no idea how much I will appreciate a home cooked meal. I have barely eaten anything since the car wreck. Part of it is nerves, part of it is that there is so much stuff crammed into the front of the rig that cooking just isn’t pleasant. Thank goodness that I can pretty much live off peanut butter sandwiches and that they are a reasonably healthy meal. 🙂
Right now, the big concern is that I need to leave Virginia on May 12th to make it back to Canada on the 15th at a reasonable pace. I can get to Canada on the 18th and still make my deadline there, but I told US Customs that I would be out on the 15th. I don’t know if that’s something that can be stretched with a phone call due to extraordinary circumstances, but I have a full week to worry about that.
I’m off to try the car rental company again. For some reason (probably my area code), my insurance adjuster’s request got routed to Bismarck, ND, so now the folks down the street here need to get hold of the folks in Bismarck to get all the information. It’ll be fine; I’m just glad I got the ball rolling yesterday. Enterprise car rental has never let me down.
What a nightmare! I hope it all works out for the best in the end.
WOW! What an ordeal! Hang in there.
They will NOT total Miranda. She’s your home. It would take a lot more damage to a home than you appear to have to write it off as a tool loss.
DO NOT WORRY ABOUT CUSTOMS!!!!!!!
When you head back over the boarder after your time in Canada, if they say anything just whip out your accident report to show the officer at the customs booth.
It won’t be a big deal. Honestly. When l used to fly back and forth with the other job l had, sometimes my project in the USA was extended and l was NEVER asked about it when l re-travelled to the US.
Also another guy in my office would always stay longer then his orginal ticket stated, over stayed by weeks, not just days….so don’t worry. Don’t let that be a concern of yours.
Enjoy your friend time, you deserve it!!!!
You are doing everything right! I can’t imagine a broken axle and bent bumper would be cause to write off a motor home.
You should have the mechanic check to see whether the frame is bent. Sometimes a rear end collision can cause that.
Tammy is right about Customs.
I was also concerned about the frame, but the appraiser spent a long time under the rig and told me Miranda ‘just’ has a broken axle and tow hitch and that she’ll be fine. I would hope that he would have noticed if there was a problem with the frame…
I’m still going to worry about customs, I just can’t help it. 🙂
When you consider the millions of illegal aliens the US has staying for decades and can’t even begin to keep track of, a little over stay due to an accident at which you weren’t even at fault will not bother them a bit. If concerned, you can call the nearest customs office and ask. Bet it will be no big deal at all. Glad things are slowly beginning to come together for you. When dealing with insurance, threatening to sue when they don’t seem cooperative is a good strategy. Your insurance company should be getting all the money from the pickup’s insurance anyway.