[USMA94PS]

My 2003 MKIII was recently in a front and rear end collision. I was stopped in traffic and rear ended so hard that it slammed me from a stop into the car in front. After the accident, the steering column wouldn't adjust at all in any direction. Also, the seat memories for the drivers seat wont work. I can still manually adjust the seat and mirrors, but nothing happens when the memory buttons are pressed. The insurance company is trying to say this is from the steering column wearing out, not from the accident. six years ago, my air suspension UCE had to be replaced when my car was hit, so I know they can be damaged from the jarring of impacts. Does anyone else have any experience with similar? Insurance is telling me they wont cover the steering column because there is no proof it was damaged in the accident, so I have to pay out of pocket unless I can show proof otherwise. Thank you.

 

[Zebedee]

Surely if it was reasonable to assume it was working before the accident (they'd have difficulty in proving it didn't, if you say it did), and not working after, it is up to them to prove that the failure was down to wear rather than as a result of the accident, rather than you proving it was not damaged in the accident.

I think the insurance company are just trying it on, and any half decent legal team would walk all over this.

You'd need to respond along the lines of - It was working prior to the accident, and only failed as a result of the accident. If they want to try to prove that it was caused by wear then go ahead, but any decent judge would say the balance of probability was definately on the side of failure was caused by the accident.