Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Blood pressure is up

On the Monday after Thanksgiving, my car was hit. Now the damage is on the back panel between the rear window and the back passenger window. This damage is at the minimum of 36 inches from the ground. There is also scrape marks on the TOP of the fender (trunk height) We figured out it was one of the school buses that back up into the little dead end street.

First I went to see the local police, and since I wasn't in the car or saw it, I could not file a police report. The officer did agree it looked as if the car had been hit by a bus. (Height of damage and black bumper paint)
Then I called the school bus garage to see if anyone had reported hitting a car and procedures of backing a bus. Soon after, I took pictures to the bus garage and made several calls. One of the ladies I spoke to (think it was "Sherry"?) said a reenactment would be done to see if it could have been a school bus. She also offered up other possible vehicles that could back up hitting the car. Again, I had to describe the damage and asked if she had taken a look at the pictures. I finally called the Bus Department Head and he said a claim would be filed with their insurance company.
I received a call (finally) on Dec. 13 from the claim service department. "David" didn't seem interested in coming out to see the damage, but liked the idea that I could forward pictures to him. I asked him if I should get an estimate, and he responded with smoke and mirrors. ( I know from Daughters 1&3, that an adjuster takes pictures and plugs them into an computer program to let him know instantly how much the cost of replacement parts and repairs will cost.)
Every month I would send him an email asking how the claim was coming along or if he needed an estimate. He never responded. So, I called the office in mid April and "David" said "Before we argue about money..." I stopped him there! There hadn't been an estimate! How can you "argue money" when you do not have an estimate??
Had Dad fax "David" the estimate. No response! So after a couple of weeks, I emailed again, to ask if he had received the fax. No response.

So I called "David" today and got his voice mail. I called back to ask a customer service person the question: "How long is the normal time between filing a claim and a settlement?" After giving her the claim number, she said she would get someone to answer the question. Guess who came on the phone next... Yes.. "David."
Well, I had to repeat the claim number and remind him what it concerned. He had received the estimate, but repeated the amount back to me, less $200-$300. I corrected him! Then he said since there was no paint transfer.... I stopped him there.. OH!! YES!! There was paint transfer, and it was black! Just like the school bus bumpers!! And it was shown in the pictures!! He went searching his email. I was on hold for so long, I searched my email and resent him the pictures. The first try didn't include pictures (supposedly??) , so I sent them to his new email address.
By this time I was so mad, I told him I couldn't spend anymore time on this and HE could call me back tomorrow between 9-11.
I was so mad about his service, I called the school bus garage to let them know what kind of "service" the school and I were getting. She said she would look into it and get back to me.
Wonder when I will ever hear back from any of these people??

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