Can you appeal a DOT reportable accident?

I knew a fellow trucker friend that went to the office to fight an accident report he had, IT DIDN'T WORK and it got the officer more p-off.

 

Appeal what? Impatience? Just because you sat there 10 minutes is not an excuse for a failure to yield. You are held to a higher standard with that CDL. You sit there 30 minutes if you have to.
Most companies allow 3 accidents, but you being new, you might have a hard time.
I did a quick check on the bumper cover. Most aftermarket are around $30. I did see one for $419 marked way down to $30. But we are probably looking at dealer parts, paint and labor. I have seen some bumper jobs cost $1500. That guy will probably go for top dollar. I wouldn't play with the DOT form. Fill it out if in question unless the other party gives the company an estimate and you are for sure it's under $1000.
Things will hit the fan, but it will get better. Just keep trying. All hope isn't lost from a fender bender. Learn from your mistake.

 

Fill out the form...trying to evade these things just makes them worse.

Was it just the bumper cover? The egg crating underneath the cover breaks very easily as well. I had a Chrysler Cirrus for a company car in the late 90's and what appeared to be a minor parking-lot ding requiring a a bumper cover ended up costing $2500. No idea how it got there...I found it when I was washing the car. I was freaking out because I was new there, but it was so common the fleet manager just laughed.

 

To be a DOT reportable there must be a fatality,injury or tow. It will show up as a non DOT reportable accident.

 

to YOU it's just a freaking Camry bumper, but I OWN a Camry and i can assure you that you did MORE damage than you think you did. you also damaged part of the Styrofoam support for that bumper which will have to be replaced, and i personally would go to a Toyota dealer for PROPER repairs, not a "uh-oh, better get Maaco" repair job...

that damage i would surmise is going to be around $2,000 before it's done,because you also must have ripped out part of the rear quarter where it attaches to, and NOW you have to worry about "belated injuries", which personally i do believe are going to hit you sooner than you think. i know that I WOULD sue for injuries, that's the kind of person I AM when I SEE $$$ in a trucking company.....

now you work for a "big box company"???? (Werner)......

expect to be fired soon enough as well...you even admitted "you didn't pay attention to the off-tracking"..that's IS a failure on your part..

can you fight the ticket..?? sure you can, you can fight anything you want....but will you win...?? hell no, they got you cold on this.

yeah, an "at fault accident, DOT reportable" , you're gonna have a tough time for a while, hey, you admitted you messed up, thank you, but you ain't gonna survive that easily from this point on, especially when your company fires you for an "at fault accident"...(since you are still on probation)

as stated by someone else, you FAILED to yield to oncoming traffic, as you know those trucks are SLOW to get out of anyone's way.

you had better fill out ALL the paper work you got, because those "belated injuries will push this into the "reportable category" no matter the cost of repairs.. even just going to the doctor..?? it's a reported injury for the guy in the "freaking Camry"..

as i stated, and of course depending on the condition of the car BEFORE the accident, if the car was in "pristine condition" who would want a cheapo bumper..?? i wouldn't....i would NOT want some parts for my car to come from some country (other than the country of origin of the car) and hap hapazzardly put onto my car...it goes (my car) to the Toyota dealer....and i hope that Camry driver goes to his as well...

there WILL BE extended damages i can assure you that the dealership WILL FIND....


yep, impatience gets the best of many newbies, that think they can get out of someone's way while driving a big truck......

 

ok, now how bad is it..?? as a newbie/rookie it is almost ALWAYS a given fact that some will have a crash of some sort, since one is not experienced. i do not believe the oil field job will really be hot and heavy on you for this, as much as say another OTR or local company may be, so i'd still try applying,and above all else, be as honest as you can on the application..!!! do not say things like, "stupid camry bumper" or whatever, stay focused on the FACTS

well here-in lies yet another problem, that other form, is a state form. you nor i nor the cops KNOW the exact cost of the TOTAL repair bill, now do we...?? do any of us know if the driver of the camry hasn't already been to his/her private doctor..?? no we don't..

now, you said its a misdemeanor if you DO NOT send it that form...right..?? it could even lead to suspension of your drivers license, do not forget, you have a CDL, you ARE different from everyone else...

you wanna get THAT against you and try to explain this at a new employer..?? i wouldn't....so fill it out, and as for the amount of damage, put down the $1,000 when it asks you...do not forget, that driver of that car can get a rental car, and the body shop can EASILY add that cost to the repair..!!

cover your arse...

 

an accident is an accident..car, truck, motorcycle...you have to tell ANY future employer about ALL accidents, no matter what it was.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_Definition_of_a_dot_recordable_accident

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/facts-research/research-technology/visorcards/bluecard.pdf


your employer will have all the DOT forms you will need...

many times, when a driver gets a ticket, no matter the vehicle, it denotes at fault....

oh yeah also i forgot to mention, where ever the exhaust system is, right side, or left side, in your posting you claim to have taken a chunk off or two..well the exhaust system sits right under the bumper, and recently i had my dad's camry exhaust replaced at a cost of nearly $600.00..!!! you could have cause damage to that, just so that you know.....4 cylinder camry's have the exhaust on the right side, V-6 have both sides......and i hope it WAS NOT a V-6......