Accident, followed by rear end clunk

I'd like to hear your thoughts on what damage I might be looking for on my truck. On Tuesday I was hit on the highway - the other guy smashed in the side of my truck from the driver's door handle all the way back, hard enough to blow out the tire. Then I drive down in the ditch. After getting the truck towed, looking around underneath (on a rack), and changing the tire, I drove about 40 miles before I suddenly started to hear a loud bang from the area of the rear passenger side tire. I stopped and looked, and all I could see wrong was that the right shock sheared off from the mount at the axle. I ******* the broken shock, but the sound, which was like someone swinging a sledge hammer at the frame in the rear right, continued intermittently. I limped it along about 15 more miles at 30 miles per hour, on the shoulder, to a place where I could park it in a lot (with permission), and had my wife come and get me (75 miles further). I checked underneath several times along the way, but can't see any other damage. The springs and shackles, however, were covered with snow and ice, so maybe I couldn't see something? Anyway, I'd like to hear your theories as to what's happening. The truck is still there as I'm having trouble finding a truck and trailer to use to haul it home.

If you can't see whats wrong there is no way we can help. It could be anything from broken springs to a broken frame, let the snow melt and then look it over. I am sure once it goes in for the insurance claim they will tell you just whats wrong with it.

thank you

there will be no quote for insurance, as I'm in a no-fault state and don't have collision coverage.

I forgot to Welcome you to RF so welcome.

Well I don't get the no fault junk, that mean I can hit anybody and not pay a penny out? I would be having a chat with the person that hit you, but thats me. People have to take responsibility for their actions at least one would think.

I have a lot of spare parts around let me know what you might need.

No fault is complex - the gyst of it is that if you want to get money for damage to your car, you have to have collision coverage for it. There are exceptions.

I can just imagine what loopholes that has in it.

Well as I posted I have some spare parts here if you need them, from axles to diff's, stuff like that sorry no auto body parts on hand.

Can you take it to a wash bay and get the snow off it and take some pix post them up see what you have going on.

Oh yes did you get hurt? I hope not.

wbthompsonco said:

No fault is complex - the gyst of it is that if you want to get money for damage to your car, you have to have collision coverage for it. There are exceptions.

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I believe this is only if you're found to be at-fault for the accident. Did you run a red light before the other driver hit you?


No fault should have no effect on your property damage. That should be covered by their liability ins. unless you were found to be at fault for the accident.. This is why it is MANDATORY to carry Liability Ins. at a minimum in the US.

In its broadest sense, no-fault insurance is any type of insurance contract under which insureds are indemnified for losses by their own insurance company, regardless of fault in the incident generating losses. In this sense, it is no different from first-party coverage. However, the term "no-fault" is most commonly used in the context of state/provincial automobile insurance laws in the United States, Canada, and Australia, in which a policyholder (and his/her passengers) are not only reimbursed by the policyholder’s own insurance company without proof of fault, but also restricted in the right to seek recovery through the civil-justice system for losses caused by other parties

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In terms of damages to vehicles and their contents, those claims are still based on fault. No-fault systems focus solely on issues of compensation for bodily injury. But it also works the other way: policies pay the medical bills for drivers and their companions independent of who was at-fault for the accident.

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If the other driver was at fault for this accident, you should be talking with your insurance agent again..