Short story

Kid on forklift hits truck, pleads don't tell my boss, I will pay for it.

I am Going to give him a chance before telling company.

Is there any easy fix? The kid is proably broke, I have been there.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated


Gordon

 

You're not gonna like my reply... Let the kid pay for it then mail the money back to him in a card. This way you test his honesty, his responsibility and you get to enjoy teaching him a lesson he will never forget.
Nat

 

the only fix for that would be to replace the painted strip across the bumper.. And get it painted too! I have been in the same situation with mine luckily it was never the truck just the trailer and I don't worry about that too much.

 

Go ahead and pay it Gordon. Now we all know that you did it.

 

He probably doesn't want you to tell his boss because it wouldn't have been the first time he has hit something or screwed up. Seriously, if the kid was worth a crap, any good employer would realize an honest mistake and write it off (I imagine the company has insurance for such accidents). To many kids are out there coasting through life, smoking dope, and not giving a crap. I'd have to know the situation, company, seen the kid, etc. before I could really make a decision. But darn, these kids (and I'm only 31) are killing me. What the heck happened. It is a vicious cycle of temporary work and the death of American industry. Not to turn this political or anything but I apologize. I just see what is going on around me with friends, family, and relatives. But back to the topic, you could turn it in to your insurance and get a Road Armor or Ranchhand or something tougher like that .

 

Your close up picture is a little hazy and I can't see any more than a scuff from the one further away. If you could live with it you may be able to use some clay to remove the scuff.

If not the circumstances of the event are important before you go sending $1000 back to some poor kid. I'm all for that option, but his employer has general liability insurance for just that reason. I had a customers employee smash my tailgate while loading a piece of equipment into my truck. He got it on the truck and then decided to help me move it toward the bulkhead, but didn't set the parking brake on the unit. I was surprised at how little damage there was considering a 8200lb. lift truck hit the gate square on. Then when I found out a new shell was $500 before paint, another $500 after paint, $150 for the decals (I didn't want them back anyway), and about $300 for the hardware kit, I didn't think twice about letting them pay for it. So the kid lost his $100 bonus that month. He maid a mistake and paid for it. That's life.

Personally I would be getting my truck taken care of the right way, but that's just me. Let us know what you end up with out of this one.

 

Was an accident report filed? If not, you may not have any legal recourse anyway.

I've been broke and young (broke fairly recently--young a long time ago but I still remember). I ran a motorcycle into the back of a parked car and had to pay for all the damages I caused plus some I didn't. It wasn't easy but I had to do it. That was around 1971. Times have changed.

Since then, I've been hit by several drivers who were at fault. Almost every one of them said they would pay for the damages. Not one single person ever did. The last time was a dufus who rear-ended me and tried to run away. I chased his sorry butt down while calling my office on a two-way and they alerted the cops. When the dummy finally stopped and the police arrived, he was telling me it was his brother's car and he didn't want me to file an insurance claim so he would pay for the damages to my truck. Fine, I took his address and phone number. I also got a copy of the police accident report. I had my damages estimated and sent him a copy. He didn't contact me so I called him. He then claimed the estimate was excessive and he said the repairs could be done for a lot less because there wasn't much damage to my truck--just a bent bumper. That was true but the freakin' bumper had to be replaced and they don't sell auto body parts cheap. Anyway, I just called my insurance agent and gave them a copy of the report and let them deal with it.

I've come to realize I am probably one of the two or three people on earth who still has some sense of responsibility for my actions. Others--I just don't expect much from them.

 

Let the companie's insurance pay. I've given way too many chances to people who said they would pay and never did. File a report if you haven't done so already. It will be a valuable lesson to the kid.

 

I hit a car in a parking lot 3 days after i bought my truck. Never saw the buick in the spot next to me until i turned the bumper right into it. $1525 to fix his drivers side doors. $150 to fix the scratches in the same spot this truck has damage. Tonneau Cover or Topper will have to wait. So will the anniversiary trip with the woman. Sucks the big one, but I paid him within a week (USPS time included). He hasn't cashed the check yet, and he's had it for over a week. It comes back -- A week later, the Line-X guys drove the drivers side mirror into a wall while they had it, and they replaced it no questions asked. I guess it all works out.

I will need a new bumper one of these days. Probably next spring after the salt has it's way with the nickel sized spot on the bumper rusts up. The buick's door handle got through the clear / chrome on the bumper in that spot. Maybe not, though. Still, someone should make it right. I'm only 28, and I think not many my age would do the right thing.

 

I recently replaced my front bumper (don't ask!) with a bumper from someone who put on one of those heavy-duty steel units. The replacement was brand new and I think I paid around $200 for it. If you have the patience, keep an eye out on this board and on ebay.

While you're waiting to find a good used bumper, take some clay or rubbing/polishing compound and dress up that wound. You could even fill the crack with bondo, prime and paint it while you're waiting for a replacement. Who knows, maybe the repair will come out good enough that you won't even want to hassle with a replacement. People will whine that you can't bondo plastic but in this case that's not true. Our bumpers aren't "5 mph" bumpers. They are solid and do not move anyway so it doesn't matter if the plastic has a little bit of hard bondo in it.

I like the idea of making the kid pay and then give the money back after he's fulfilled his obilgation. You obviously have a soft spot for the kid.

 

The 'kid' would probably be fired! Your a nice guy.

 

BMH95, you're a good guy too.

 

Okay I did it No I didn't. lol


Thanks to everyone for the great advise on this matter.

I think I will patch it and paint it. Should be easy and not to expensive.

Now do I send the money back if he sends it.

BTW no report was filed

 

Do you think the kid will learn his lesson if you give the money back from the repairs?
If you think he did then give it back...if not keep it and teach him a lesson on being aware of his surroundings, lucky it was your turck and not YOU that was hit...

 

If the kid sends the money, he'll learn a greater lesson if you send it back. That lesson being, if you do the right thing you sometimes get rewarded.