Need some auto engineering factors and info

[1sttruck]

An ex-father-in-law was retired California HP, and he use to do accident investigation. I recall him commenting that once a vehicle started skidding it didn't matter too much about weight or typical roads, they all tended to skid the same distance from the same speed. Anti-lcok brakes will probably make 'skid analysis' more difficult these days though.

http://www.harristechnical.com/articles/errors.pdf

Drag factors
Much of the time, assigning a precise value for drag factor isn’t necessary. In the overall scheme of things, there isn’t a lot of difference between the speeds generated from a 0.65 drag factor as with a 0.75 drag factor. For one reason, you end up taking the square root of the value. As an example, if a car skids to a stop in 100 feet on a 0.65 surface, the slide-to-stop speed is around 44 mph. On a 0.75 surface, everything else being equal, the speed equates to about 47 mph. What’s three miles an hour among friends?

 

[rpn453]

quote:

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Originally posted by JHZR2:
The insurance company has its team of lawyers, who need to protect either the insurance company or the girl at fault. It is believed that since we have gone thus far on our own (small claims, etc), that they are trying to intimidate us. It is unclear as to whether or not they even have a right to a jury trial at such small amounts of money.

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If she isn't totally at fault, then your insurance company will have to pay the damages. So shouldn't you just let the two insurance companies fight it out?

I would be very, very angry over this waste of everyone's time and money. It makes me glad for our insurance system.

You need to miss a few days of work due to headaches and neck pains, talk to a doctor about it, and then talk to the insurance company. Seems to be the only way to do it with that type of system.

How is it even possible to have only $5000 worth of coverage? Our absolute minimum is $200,000.

 

[JHZR2]

youre right, it does look like a real dog.

Problem is in NJ, our premiums very well could go up $1000/yr for a number of years for getting a $7500 uninsured settlement result. Why should we be paying ourselves???

Thanks,

JMH

 

[Win]

JMH,

NJ sounds like an expensive and aggravating place to live.

Moving is always easiest when you are young .....

 

[darryld13]

Have you considered that her insurance company might be trying to take strategic advantage of the fact that you can't readily marshall the resources that they or another insurance company can? They might be counting on the fact that a $5K settlement will start to look pretty good with the prospects of trial preparation before an uncertain jury.

Take advantage of the motivation that YOUR insurance company does not want to pay, either. I know your rates may go up (difficult to for me to understand how they can if you are not at fault), but should you lose with a ruling that leaves you liable, you are probably going to need to call in your insurance company, as the third party will then come after your assets for damages. My guess is that your insurance company will sue the other insurance company to get reimbursed for the payout they make to you under the terms of your policy coverage. You will be out from under this completely in the meantime.

If your insurance company jacks up your rates with you being not at fault, move to another insurer. Since you won't have an accident that can be used to count against you on your record, I'm pretty sure you will get favorable rate quotes from the other companies.

 

[k1xv]

quote:

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Originally posted by JHZR2:
in NJ, the overall insurance situation is quite poor. We have the most expensive rates, etc. in the country, and to exercise policy payouts will most often reuslt in significant premium inreases.
JMH [/QB]

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But you don't have to pump your own gas.

As a refugee from the Garbage State, I don't miss it. Auto insurance is one reason among dozens.

 

[JHZR2]

Other than insurance, I like NJ... lived here all my life and don't really plan to leave. if this happened in NJ, I have to think that things might have turned out differently to begin with.

If I had to live somewhere else, it would likely be VT or someplace in new England...

JMH

 

[TheLoneRanger]

If this mess does go to trial, I wouldn't delve too deeply into physics; remember the 12 people who decide your case may not understand. Most jurists are not rocket surgeons. Keep it simple.

After all, she hit you from behind. There's no defense for that. Case closed.

 

[Jimbo]

Are you saying that the minimum property damage liability limit in NJ is $5000? I cant imagine an insurance company that wouldnt just settle for the policy limit in a case like this, except for the fact that she did not own the car she was driving. States differ, but in CA, the car owner, not driver, has primary liability exposure.

 

[kanling]

I can't believe that only $5000 insurance is required by law, that is so low! Here is another case where Americans are rewarded (well, this girl anyway) for owning/saving nothing, being up to their ears in credit card debt (just guessing), and lacking any kind of personal responsibility. This accident won't cost her a thing, besides maybe higher insurance premiums, which she clearly isn't concerned much about anyway.

 

[JHZR2]

It happened, and is occurring in PA. Progressive does not even wriote insurance in NJ, likely because they pull this kind of stuff and NJ wouldnt allow it...

LoneRanger, thats exactly right... but theyre trying every which way to claim that I caused the accident... though ALL the major, significant, difficult repair type damage is in the REAR of my car... Makes a lot of sense, does not it?

JMH

 

[Ugly3]

In Illinois we are required to have uninsured and underinsured coverage.