AIRBAGS HURT

In 45 years of driving I finally had an accident...........not my fault. Some chick blasts through a four-way stop and I hit her broadside. The Tundra was a rock, so much so, that ALL of the airbags deployed........steering wheel, side curtains, seat belt and knee airbags. I was probably only going 20 mph but accelerating, the Ford Focus didn't fare so well. 20mph doesn't sound like much, but I think the airbag cracked my sternum.........is that even possible? Really bummed about my almost new 2020 Tundra (only 3,600 miles), I'm pretty certain it won't be worth much now with an accident on it's CARFAX report. I sure hope it drives okay after the repairs.

https://www.tundras.com/attachments...7/?temp_hash=bc32f03aaffba21bb4926f377adc6e4f

 

Hope everyone was ok. That is the best outcome.

 

first thing is first... you're OK, everything else is secondary... You can always try and recoup your damages... with all the airbags going off, it might be a write off, but I'm not an adjuster...

 

Damn. . .that sucks. . As far as the airbags, they HAVE cracked ribs. Not sure about sternums. If you think something isn't right, go get checked out. Sucks about the new truck. Peoples stupidity pisses me off.

 

So sorry to read this. Hope you are okay!

Wanna sell that hood bulge? Sorry, couldn't help myself! Seriously, hope you're okay. Truck can be repaired or replaced.

How about the mirror caps? Too soon?

Good luck!

 

DAMN! You are typing so you are alive. You are probably pretty bruised from the airbags and seat belt. You will feel like you were hit by a moving train in the morning. I took a driver's side hit at 61 mph after an idiot ran a red light some years back. No airbags deployed, but we both lived. Of course, I couldn't get moving for 3 days. Make sure to get checked.

 

Glad that you're OK and the Tunny did its job protecting you, in the end that's all that matters.

 

Since your vehicle is still considered new, push the insurance company for diminished value beyond what it cost to fix it (assuming it is not totaled out). Diminished value should be worth a couple/three thousand at least since since it was a new vehicle that is now going to have a blemish on the Carfax report. I've pushed for this in the past and got the insurance company to pony up the extra coin. Also, since the other car was at fault, push for a rental car while your is being fixed (this is all predicated on the fact that they don't total you vehicle out). Personally, I'd be wanting them to total it out and then go get you a new truck.

 

Glad you’re OK. Don’t worry about the truck. Go get checked out if anything doesn’t feel right

 

Glad to hear that you didn't get hurt too bad.

 

Good your ok. 2 years ago had someone make a left hand turn in front of me on a hwy with 50 mph speed limit, probably hit her doing 40. Totaled my '07 Tundra. Airbag broke my elbow. I couldn't sleep lying down for 2 weeks my chest hurt so bad. Those things can do some damage saving your life.

 

Well, I am glad you survived and I hope the other driver did, too. I'm sorry that you are now having to deal with the aftermath of an accident. It sucks.

 

If all the air bags went off there is a chance the truck is totaled. I would definitely push for it to be totaled, just the damage to the interior will be difficult to repair and for it to be 100%.

 

Hey, fellow Tundra and Idaho brother!

I echo the previous sentiments. Glad you are on this side of the dirt. Best wishes on moving forward as favorably as possible. Call on me/us if there is something that we can help with.

 

That is a huge bummer. Sorry.

 

Thanks for the comments and best wishes. Much appreciated. Tundra's not even close to being totaled..........even with ALL airbags deploying. Most of the damage appears to be cosmetic ($16,000). I'm going tp press Progressive (other driver's insurance) on the diminished value in the morning. Never heard of that before. On a positive note, I'll have the grill replaced with a TRD Pro grill.........sure hope that works out. I was surprised that the TSS never gave a warning though.........maybe things happened too quick? Other good news is the young lady is okay.........she took a hard hit directly to the driver's side door. Ford Focus was trashed, but she was fairly well protected as well. Good job Ford.

PS. Lesson learned........keep a knife or some other cutting device within reach in your trucks. I had to deflate the side curtain airbags with a knife in order to get out. I always keep a leatherman and glass breaker in the center console.

 

I think this is the second post I've read recently where a new Tundra owner has been in an accident to no fault of their own. Such a hassle to deal with the insurance companies who want to save every dollar they can. Falls into the category of Life's not fare. At least you are relatively injury free. If you have sternum pain it is likely damaged cartilage. Most times it heals on it's own but some times requires surgery. Recovery can be slow as you will frequently stretch and irritate it with normal physical activity.
Best of luck with the truck and healing.

 

Injuries suck but im glad u made it. Did ur insurance agent tell you its not close to being totaled, or are u making that call?

 

Wow - that sucks with any vehicle, much less a new Tundra! But glad to hear you're OK. My wife was t-boned by a drunk driver several years ago. 40% permanent hearing loss in her left ear due to the driver's side bad deploying. She said it was like a shotgun going off right next to her ear.

Back to you - make sure you get a thorough medical workup now. It will be so much easier to deal with the other driver's insurance if you can identify issues now rather than after they write the check.

 

The insurance company (USAA) and the autobody shop. So far the damage is approx. $16,000, and it takes about $28,000 in damage to total the truck.

 

It's usually the seat belt that bruises you, have you noticed any marks on your body left by the belt?

 

Wow. Just wow... Glad you and the other driver are okay. I'm sure you'll both feel new pains in the next few days.

Years ago I read somewhere that airbags deploy based on the deceleration rate. That's probably why they all cooked off even at 20mph...you stopped very fast. Not sure that's fast enough to torque the frame, but the shop can check for that.

A few pointers that I learned from a rear-end accident when I was hit a few years ago:

• Definitely go after the diminished value adjustment. No reason for you to take the trade-in value hit when it comes time to sell the truck. I got ~10% if I remember correctly, which is about what a buddy told me is an expected value drop (he's a car salesman).
• I had to do a period of massage and physical therapy to get my neck back in order. Think the total bill was about $8k. The insurance agency of the guy that hit me was all keen to close out the file and offered me something like $3-4k to sign-off against any future claims. I told him if I was to do that, they needed to cover another around of massage and PT. He played the "oh well, I don't know about that" game but immediately approved it. I remember thinking I should have asked for more...not that I'm one for milking the system, but insurance is a card game where we don't know the rules.

Sorry if you know all of this...I'd never done any of this before and neither had any of my trusted friends, so I driving blind (pun intended) during the whole insurance game. As always, your mileage may vary. And maybe others can chime in with their experiences too.

Good luck

 

No apologies necessary. I appreciate all of the comments because I am very ignorant on this situation; it's the first accident I've been involved in.

Yep, the diminshed value thing is something that has me concerned.....and something I never considered. How did you go about collecting on that? Attorney or was the insurance company willing to work with you? So far, I have not been impressed with Progressive (the other drivers insurance company); they have yet to return my phone calls (maybe because their driver was at fault and cited for "failure to stop"). No plans on selling or trading the truck. I just bought in on July 4th so I'm still in the "honeymoon" phase.......and it's paid for, so I'll wait and see how it drives once it gets repaired.

 

Agreed! Pretty sure it was the seat belt too. I drove my wife's Highlander today and man did it hurt where the seat belt touches the chest. Kinda weird though, no bruise marks. Maybe torn muscle? Either way looks like I'm going to have to get it checked out........still hurts like crazy.

 

Good you're O.K. Imagine the same incident in a Pinto and a Vega...the outcome would have been different.

You should get a ludicrously overbuilt bumper/brush guard like the ones Buckstop and A.R.B. make, big enough to stop a locomotive. You wanted a winch, anyway, right? Here's a pic of some actor with something similar...started out in "Silverado".

I was in an older 15-passenger van when the airbags went off. Front seat passenger was knocked out -- driver thought the engine had exploded -- steering locked in the left turn position, headed into the other lane towards a fuel tanker -- the whole van filled with acrid smoke. Turns out the engine was fine. A deer weighing a couple of hundred pounds ran into the van from the r.s. and jammed under the front suspension somewhere unseen(it was late at night). The driver was a pro, and fought the wheel enough to the right to get it to the shoulder.

Anyway, was the smoke from the airbags really noxious like it was in my experience? Someone told me that the type of airbag in the van worked by combining 2 chemicals that expand quickly, but produce a mildly poisonous smoke. All smoke is poisonous to some degree, of course. The thinking was that it's way better to breath a little of it for 1 minute than have your head go through the windshield.

 

I think I first heard the term from an "Ambulance Chaser" commercial on the radio. I spoke to my salesman buddy and then just talked to the insurance company directly. They offered an amount I thought was reasonable and it came as part of my payment. A family member of mine hired a firm that only does diminished value claims. They took a %, but he still ended up getting more than I did (proportional to the value of the vehicles).

There was another accident thread a few months ago where we talked about DV claims and I think a few folks chimed in that they're not necessarily permitted in certain states. Hopefully you can get it in ID.

 

Here is where @Mad Max describes the process he used (would've used?) to get Diminished Value. Hope it helps!
https://www.tundras.com/threads/i-got-side-swiped-today-on-way-to-work.78702/page-2#post-1993552

 

Did your Toyota Safety Sense not kick in..?