So this happened...

So I went to grab my dorsey trailer from our storage building Located on another property last Friday to pull the boat out for the winter and as I was driving home, a mile from my house an oncoming car crossed the centerline of the road. When I realized she wasn't going to correct, I braked and veered off the road (on my side). She clipped my trailer 6' rearward of my bumper at a 45 deg angle ripping the trailer off my receiver ball and snapping the safety chains. The trailer ended up nearly upside down in the trees, 90 degrees to my direction of travel. Fender is toast, hitch is bent, guide posts are gone, axle was ripped off and spindle connection is bent, bunks are tweaked, and now stop is bent. Texting? I dunno. All I know is that there is also 2k damage to my truck and I'm working with watercraft sales to get a loaner trailer to at least get my boat out while we work out insurance details.

The slap in the face is that I expect I won't be made whole by insurance cause they will only pay actual cash value and not replacement cost, so I'll be stuck with the difference since we all know how often used trailers in good shape come around.

Thank goodness the sport nautique wasn't on it, and that nobody was hurt. I may not be typing this had I not driven off the road.

Pics to come...

Suggestions appreciated as I work out this claim stuff

Thanks,

Kyle

That sucks! Sorry man!

It used to be a 1 x a year or two occurrence when someone would cross into my lane. Now it is like a 1-2 time a week occurrence. Also, daily I have people next to me on the freeway (4 lanes here in Nashville) at 70 plus MPH with their phones in hand texting.

It is a huge problem.

Kyle,
Is there any way they can prove the driver was texting, or doing something else, they werent supposed to be doing?? And it won't be your insurance, it will be theirs paying.. I'd be ready to argue the costs and settle for something you're comfortable with. I' think you might make out better than expected..

Kyle,
Were any citations issued? Are both your and her insurance companies involved?

You could always call one of the law firms that are always advertising on channels 7, 9 and 12!

kylem428 wrote: Hoping I'm not having to consider fixing this trailer to be back to "normal" but if the insurance doesn't come through, I may have to. Kyle

Get a rough estimate from Three Lakes Steel for a repair that way you will be better informed when the insurance company tells you what they plan on paying.

Thanks Pete, I'll definately be calling him.

If there's an up side those Dorsey trailers are built like tanks and from the looks of it the main frame didn't take much damage other than cosmetically. That's just rough eyeballing it though...

Kyle

How old is the trailer? Is it on your boat policy?

Wow that sucks. I agree with the others in that the other person's insurance should be paying for all of the damages to both vehicles.

We just insured our new boat and trailer for an "agreed upon price"". It's my understanding that the boat and trailer have an agreed upon value and that if they are ever wrecked, that's the price we get for each regardless of age. Trailer is valued at $2500.

Wonder if the cops checked her phone for signs of texting or driving while using the phone????

Does your neck hurt? Better see a chiro just the same. Sometimes it takes a few days for the injury to start to swell.

Smithfamily wrote: Would you have a chance for a civil lawsuit?

Pay 400.00/hr for a lawyer, bypass the insurance company, roll the dice, and instead go for that person's wallet which might actually be empty anyway? Almost never makes sense. Let the insurance companies figure it out. Everyone else make sure your stuff is insured at an agreed upon value.

M3Fan wrote: Smithfamily wrote: Would you have a chance for a civil lawsuit? Almost never makes sense. Let the insurance companies figure it out.

Very true about going all the way to a civil suit and the insurance companies don't want it to go that far ether. Most cases are settled out of court so having a lawyer involved may be a smart move. They certainly know how to negotiate!

Hey all, thanks for chiming in. The police advised me to start the process with my insurance and they will work to subjugate the loss since the other driver is at fault. Hoping this wouldn't hit my premium. In the meantime, I am also working up a claim with her insurance after doing some digging, so at the end of this I will have 2 commitments and I can go for the one that better suits my needs. After speaking with the adjuster with my co this am, she believes the trailer to be a loss and now will work to establish value. I am afraid it will come in low, so I am diligently combing the Internet to try and find recent compatibles. Also calling dealers across the country to see if they have any stock with an msrp or recent sales to document a higher value than what I am anticipating they will come at me with.

Wish me luck!

Kyle

Well, after a long week it looks like things are going to work out just fine for my trailer saga. As it turns out, I ordered a new Phoenix trailer today and it isn't going to cost me anything out of pocket. I made a claim with the other party's insurance (progressive) and it seems the adjuster pushed the envelope for me. I pulled new and used trailer quotes from white lake marine, button marine, and Watercraft Sales locally. It seems I was able to convince the adjuster that used trailers just aren't available, and they could be on the hook for significant haul out and storage expenses while we would be waiting for a trailer within the confines of whatever actual cash value they would have settled on. Big props are due to Ryan at Watercraft sales in Three Lakes for putting multiple quotes together and speaking with the adjuster about the "true" value of my trailer.

I can't help but wonder if things were headed this way all along and I didn't need to worry as much but I am just happy it all will work out. Trailer should be here in 3 weeks or so. Meanwhile, Ryan is lending me a trailer to get my boat off the water in the meantime.

Check your coverage. I know I will be reviewing mine and making some changes!

Kyle

Kyle, a couple of suggestions on your Phoenix. Be sure to check with them on the placement of the rear guides I think on mine they should have been further up toward the front. When my boat is fully on the trailer the guides do not touch the boat. On a shallow ramp it seems it could move over enough for the prop to hit the trailer.


If you like the type of bow stop you have now make sure you get the same if you have a choice. The one on mine can cause problems on steep ramps


And finally see if the prop cage can be a bolt on instead of a welded on one.

Hey there everyone! I owe you guys an update. Watercraft sales lent me a used ramlin trailer for the last month to temporarily store my boat on while we waited for the new trailer to arrive from Phoenix trailers in MI. Consequently, the trailer just arrived to watercraft sales on Tuesday. I draged my boat up there and did the swap Wednesday evening before the nasty weather. The guys at watercraft lifted my boat off the loaner trailer by the rings and plopped down on the Phoenix. So far in the 20 miles I've used it, the new trailer runs very smooth and seems to fit the boat very well.   The only thing I have left to do is put the prop guard rollers on which Phoenix forgot to install. They are sending me a pair and will pay to have them welded on.   This whole Sega worked out pretty well for me. Looking at changing my insurance policy to an agreed value policy with progressive based on their claim service.

Kyle