[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by Mink Islander

Thanks everyone for you kind thoughts.

I heard so many stories from others both here and elsewhere, that I no longer call this a "freak" accident. Truth is, road debris of one kind or another cause serious accidents every day. Carelessness about tying down loads/loose objects certainly contributes to this. My experience will stick with me and my family for a lifetime.

Now I could start a whole new thread that would burn up the site about my feelings towards insurance companies.... Since I had no body damage to the vehicle beyond the windshield -- it hit nothing else, Commerce calls it a glass claim. I objected. Said there were glass shards everywhere in the car and it would need to be carefully detailed to remove that hazard. Don't worry, says Commerce, the glass installer is paid to clean up all the glass too! Well Larry Daryl and Daryl at the local fly by night subcontracted glass installer did little more than run a shop vac in the vehicle. That's probably enough if a vandal knocks out a side window since that mostly creates chunks of glass. A high speed collision creates much finer glass debris and it was blown everywhere in the vehicle. Needless to say, everything from chunks to fine slivers are still embedded in the passenger seat and everywhere else. Call the insurance company. Her suggestion: well you should call the glass installer (that Commerce hired and only called me when the work was supposedly done, otherwise I had no dealings with) and see if they will pay under their warrantee for you to get the car detailed to your satisfaction. At this point, Ms. Commerce got more than an earful from me. I told her the car was undriveable in its current condition and the glass was a hazard to anyone riding in it. I want it taken to a professional body shop who will dismantle the interior and carefully get all the glass from every nook and cranny. She begrudgingly agreed to send over a claims adjuster only after I told her the seat has cuts in it so it's not "just a glass claim". Have now discovered the driver side power window doesn't work because glass slivers are in the door switch mechanism. Went over to the local body shop we know and they said what I suggested is exactly what has to be done to make the car safe -- will cost about $1000. Had this been an accident with major body damage, removing the interior and cleaning it up would be an automatic part of the repair. But in a "glass claim", apparently not. Wonder why Ms. Commerce Insurance didn't suggest that originally? I'm sure I'll come up with a reason eventually.... Oh yeah, it costs them money.
Claims adjuster expected to call this morning. Can't wait....

You are quite correct regarding glass cleaning. Unlike the side and rear window, the windshield is made of non tempered, annealed laminated glass which when broken fully will expel the tiniest shards of glass everywhere. These shards will embed themselves in everything and a simple shop vac will not remove it. The side and rear window are made of tempered safety glass and when it breaks explodes into small solid pieces which can be easily vacuumed up.

You should be able to get reimbursed from your insurance for the additional cleaning necessary. I would however have a claims adjuster come out and take another look to confirm.

Good Luck, and really glad you and your wife are O.K.!!

Dan