Truck lost its load next to me - what would you do?

I was cruising down the interstate at ~70 mph and I noticed a lifted truck driving like an asshole in my rearview. It had a cabinet/fridge strapped in the bed - standing up tall above the cab but with giant straps on top. When I see guys with loads like this, I usually see them in the right lane going 65 mph. This person was weaving in and out of traffic, trying to pass at 80 mph.

So this truck is the left lane, I'm in the lane next to them. They pass me. Just as they pass me, I see the cabinet/refridgerator/safe/vault whatever it is start to wobble - and then it happened so fast. The second I saw it wobble, I started to press on the brake. The cabinet crumpled and a door came flying off in a shower of what looked like beads - probably shattered plastic or safety glass. Anyways, I react as I can - slow as quickly as I dare (there was traffic behind me) and weave within my lane. I didn't veer off because traffic. I still get *showered* with these bead looking things but I am spared the door hitting me.

The truck pulled over and I pulled over with her. She gave me her info, said the guy she bought this thing from strapped it in and she didn't know what to do and as I didn't see any major dents, I chose to keep going.

Now that I'm home, I see that there are a sprinkling of chips in my paint - mostly the CF lip spoiler (no paint damage but impact marks) and the painted part above it. It's all recent impact damage, I did not have these chips before and they're concentrated on the driver's side, which is the side that got the brunt of the damage. You have to get close to see them, but they're down to the plastic/primer and there are many of them. This picture shows the type of damage best, although it's not limited to that area. All the little white lumps are bits of paint knocked off by impacts.

This is a 1 year old car with 15k miles on it. It's my daily so I am not expecting a garage queen. However, there is now more paint damage on this car than the 5 year old Accord I traded in for it.

Would you bother with insurance and that pain in the ass? Would they even care? Since it's not my fault, I wouldn't expect a deductible but I halfway expect them to laugh at me for trying to get chips fixed.

Or would you live with it because it would probably happen again anyway? I'm mostly worried about the damage in the clearcoat I can't see that might cause peeling in a few years. Or then again, it might not.

tldr - minor damage from a truck losing it's load next to me - would you bother with insurance or repainting or paint pen and move on?

I would contact her showing her the pictures and ask for insurance info. Sorry she let someone else load it for her. It is still her responsibility. I would want my car fixed. Are all the small blemishes to the rear of the door edge all damaged spots? If so that is not good!

I’d contact insurance. Explain what happened, pay the deductible and get the paint fixed properly...otherwise it will bother you if OCD like me

Fuck it. I'd be more pissed off about a door ding. I would take it to a body shop to have them detail everything that bothers me but probably not go through insurance personally.

How much of the fender farther than that got hit? If it’s just that area I’d leave it alone and use a toothpick and touch up paint. Don’t paint a whole panel because of it unless it’s all over. It will never be the same again. It sucks man, nothing more. Sorry.

F that she was driving irresponsibly.

Call it in. Just work with the paint shop. Lot of this looks like simple app repair. Sand, paint, clear, and blend the spot(s).

Also your lucky the door didn’t do serious damage. In the end it’s just a car.

Insurance, it wont cost you a penny. Will all be on her. She could of killed someone.

Before going the insurance route consider all of the possible effects. Do the police need to become involved now because it was an accident? Will it raise your insurance? Will the accident show up on a carfax accident report afterwards? If so that could cost thousands in resale value when the day comes to sell the car. At least get an independent quote or two before calling your insurance.

Just make sure that's really the best route. Cheapest right now isn't always the best.

There is no harm in contacting your insurance to find out what the implications are if you do file a claim in this situation. I would just give them a call and see what your options are.

Mcclaughry95 said:

Insurance, it wont cost you a penny. Will all be on her. She could of killed someone.

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+1

This person was weaving in and out of traffic, trying to pass at 80 mph.

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Will all be on her.

You would think the other parties insurance would cover the damages since they are at fault. I dont think you need to make a claim with your insurance from little I know.

If other party at fault and have insurance, they cover they damages so you wouldnt need to worry about deductables or insurance going up.

ez12a said:

There is no harm in contacting your insurance to find out what the implications are if you do file a claim in this situation. I would just give them a call and see what your options are.

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Well, there is some harm. Just by calling they had to create an incident report.

I went ahead and filed a claim through my insurance because I was a dummy and didn't get their insurance info. It's a "No Fault" incident, like hail. I will be out my deductible, but hopefully they can get it back from the other parties insurance. If this makes a mark on my carfax, then I'll be out diminished value. The nature of the damage worried me, so I thought better safe than sorry and called my insurance.

Here's hoping they can fix my paint properly and this doesn't turn out to be a lot of bullshit for something on the edge of nothing.

JayDiem said:

Before going the insurance route consider all of the possible effects. Do the police need to become involved now because it was an accident? Will it raise your insurance? Will the accident show up on a carfax accident report afterwards? If so that could cost thousands in resale value when the day comes to sell the car. At least get an independent quote or two before calling your insurance.

Just make sure that's really the best route. Cheapest right now isn't always the best.

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This was probably the best advice for the future. Although, if you get it fixed for paint, I think the shop will report that even if you don't go through insurance so it shows up on your carfax.