Collision experts?

[USARMworker]

My friend, Ben, driving w/o insurance got T-boned a while ago. There were no skid marks at the scene and the other driver was impaired. Ben is representing himself, fighting the insurance company. The other driver claimed to be driving at the posted speed limit, 25 MPH. Ben contests that he was speeding.

My question is: Does this look like a 25 MPH impact? I think the other vehicle was an Acura. And could photos such as this be used to help Ben's case?

[schumacher62]

thank god its a volvo. hope your friend wasnt hurt. is that car "totalled?"

[USARMworker]

Oh, yeah. It's a write-off.

Fortunately, Ben, his wife and two kids were uninjured and he's pulled his head out of his arse and gotten insured.

..

[Burning1]

Attached is a picture from the 25MPH rear-ender I was responsible for (in fact, I was probably going faster than 25.) The car I hit suffered even less injury.

There is no way the frame would be bent that badly in a 25MPH collision.

Unfortunately, I'm not an expert witness. Perhaps the officer who wrote up the police report could help?

Good luck with this! : )

[}Dragon{]

Mike: I'm not an accident reconstruction expert, but I'd venture to say from just seeing the picture it was at speeds greater than 25MPH, but not by much.

[SirFonners]

lol i rear ended my friend on purpose going like 15-20mph and it didnt look anything like that, lol it didnt even bend anything

[Dove]

lol i rear ended my friend on purpose, lol he didnt even bend over!

:laughing

[silversvs]

My friend, Ben, driving w/o insurance got T-boned a while ago. There were no skid marks at the scene and the other driver was impaired. Ben is representing himself, fighting the insurance company. The other driver claimed to be driving at the posted speed limit, 25 MPH. Ben contests that he was speeding.

My question is: Does this look like a 25 MPH impact? I think the other vehicle was an Acura. And could photos such as this be used to help Ben's case?


No way to give a reliable answer looking at that one photo. Yes that could be from a 25 MPH collision. If there was no braking and it was an actual 25 MPH impact it would be reasonable.

[SirFonners]

:laughing

:xshoulda seen that one coming

[Burning1]

Mike: I'm not an accident reconstruction expert, but I'd venture to say from just seeing the picture it was at speeds greater than 25MPH, but not by much.

The portion of the car below the door jam is one of the strongest places on the vehicle. Aside from providing a lot of the vehicles rigidity, it is designed to avoid deformation in order to protect the passenger.

If just the door had been bent in like that, I wouldn't question 25MPH.

[PainterDude]

The portion of the car below the door jam is one of the strongest places on the vehicle. Aside from providing a lot of the vehicles rigidity, it is designed to avoid deformation in order to protect the passenger.

If just the door had been bent in like that, I wouldn't question 25MPH.

That's correct, we call it the box,,,The box is the strongest part of a unibody car like that Volvo.... It is hard to tell from that pic but my guess would be over 40mph.... look for indirect damage such as, buckles in the roof panel, door gaps or do the doors open & close normal on opposite side of car, is the floor under carpet buckled, broken windshield.... Any of these would confirm a deformation in the structure of the chasis & confirm speeds over 25 mph, 40 or above....

ASE master collision tech...Worked at Volvo Dealer for 4 years...

[JPM]

There are too many variables to determine with just a photo like that. There is a complex formula that requires a series of measurement that are then compare to the original measurements and stiffness designed into the vehicle by the engineers; called speed from crush. If your friend is serious about this he should call an accident reconstructions, but it will probably cost a few hundred bucks.

Just a question, if the other guy t-boned him and it was the other guys fault, what difference will if make if the guy was going 25 or say 35? It really has no bearing on it anyway.

http://www.neptuneeng.com/SAEPapers/920607.pdf

[}Dragon{]

The portion of the car below the door jam is one of the strongest places on the vehicle. Aside from providing a lot of the vehicles rigidity, it is designed to avoid deformation in order to protect the passenger.

If just the door had been bent in like that, I wouldn't question 25MPH.

Another guess is that the car that impacted the Volvo was braking when it happened (nose diving), thus striking the frame.

Mike- any details on the collision report that can be shared?

[Rel]

Why was your friend, Ben, driving w/o insurance?

[Burning1]

Another guess is that the car that impacted the Volvo was braking when it happened (nose diving), thus striking the frame.

Mike- any details on the collision report that can be shared?

I think you're right about the nose dive, but I'd be less concerned about the impact point and more focused on the amount of force required to bend the frame.

Just a question, if the other guy t-boned him and it was the other guys fault, what difference will if make if the guy was going 25 or say 35? It really has no bearing on it anyway.

I was wondering the same thing.

Questions: Is the drunk guy's insurance company trying to claim that the victim made an unsafe entrance into the intersection? How is speed a factor in liability for this case?

[Burning1]

There are too many variables to determine with just a photo like that. There is a complex formula that requires a series of measurement that are then compare to the original measurements and stiffness designed into the vehicle by the engineers; called speed from crush. If your friend is serious about this he should call an accident reconstructions, but it will probably cost a few hundred bucks.[/url]

Is there a good way to get the price paid through the other driver's insurance company?

[Psychochik]

Is there a good way to get the price paid through the other driver's insurance company?

Regardless of Bens lack of insurance, if the other person is at fault then his company will be paying for it, but it does sound like the other company is fighting something.

[JPM]

Is there a good way to get the price paid through the other driver's insurance company?


By suing them or winning a claim.




Questions: Is the drunk guy's insurance company trying to claim that the victim made an unsafe entrance into the intersection? How is speed a factor in liability for this case?

Without further info on how the crash occurred it’s hard to say. Speed really only plays a factor when someone pulls out and gets hit, speed was very excessive, and how far the driver’s visibility was.

[motorman4life]

Weight of each vehicle, angle of attack and intrusion measurement... all of the info needed is readily available to prove the speed at impact.