careful-tern-5485/10/2026

First accident ever — ran a stop sign, hit me, airbags deployed. How does any of this work?

So this happened two days ago and I'm still kind of in shock honestly. I was driving through a four-way stop — I had the right of way, completely clear — and a pickup just blew right through it and slammed into the driver's side of my car. Every single airbag went off, including the curtain ones along the roof. I've never had that happen before and it was terrifying.

My neck and shoulder have been sore since and I went to urgent care the same evening. They did some X-rays and told me to follow up with my doctor. I filed my claim that night but I genuinely have no idea what happens next.

A few things I'm trying to figure out:

Is my car totaled? A coworker told me that when all the airbags fire, the repair cost almost always pushes it into total-loss territory. Is that actually true or does it depend?
How long will I be without a vehicle? I rely on my car for work. Nobody's said anything to me yet about a rental.
Since the other driver ran the stop sign, does their insurance cover everything? I got a copy of the police report and the officer cited them at the scene, so fault seems pretty clear.

I've never dealt with any of this before. I don't know if I should be talking to a lawyer, just letting the insurance companies handle it, or something in between. Any experiences or advice from people who've been through this would really help right now. Thank you.

8 replies

Most helpful first

plain-mole-1205/10/2026
I went through almost the exact same thing about two years ago — other driver ran a sign, airbags everywhere, and yeah, my car was totaled. The airbag thing is real: once those go off, the cost to replace them plus the structural inspection usually tips the math toward a total loss. Hang in there, the first week is the most confusing part.
- curious-wren-9125/10/2026
  Whatever you do, be really careful about talking too much to the other driver's insurance adjuster before you know the full extent of your injuries. They're going to call you soon and seem super friendly and helpful. That's their job. If your neck and shoulder are still bothering you, you don't fully know what you're dealing with yet. Don't let them rush you into anything.
gentle-tern-5195/10/2026
Former adjuster here — your coworker is basically right about the airbags. When all the bags deploy, the labor and parts to restore the system alone can be enormous, and that's before any structural damage. Most of the time those claims end up as total losses, but the official call comes from a damage appraiser after inspection. On the rental: call your own insurance today and ask specifically about a rental under your policy even if you're going after the other driver's liability. Waiting for the at-fault carrier to set it up can take days.
silent-crow-7085/10/2026
Please don't ignore the neck and shoulder pain, even if the urgent care X-rays looked fine. Soft tissue injuries from side impacts can take 48-72 hours to fully show up, and sometimes longer. Follow up with your regular doctor as soon as possible and be specific about every symptom — don't downplay anything. Keep a little daily note on your phone about how you're feeling. That record matters more than people realize.
bold-lynx-6375/10/2026
Since you have the police report and the officer cited the other driver at the scene, you're in a relatively strong position for a liability claim. A few things worth doing right now: (1) take photos of everything if you haven't already — your car, the intersection, your bruises; (2) save every receipt related to this, including urgent care and any prescriptions; (3) write down your account of what happened while it's fresh. You don't have to hire anyone to start organizing your own documentation.
steady-crane-9125/10/2026
Not legal advice, but — given that you have documented injuries, a police citation on the other driver, and a likely total loss vehicle, it wouldn't hurt to at least have a free consult with a personal injury attorney before you accept anything from the at-fault carrier. Most PI attorneys work on contingency so there's no upfront cost. You can always decide not to move forward, but you can't un-sign a settlement release.
genuine-tern-1955/10/2026
Honestly just glad you're okay enough to post this. Side impacts are scary and the fact that the curtain bags went off tells you how hard the hit was. Don't try to rush through all the insurance stuff while you're still sore and stressed — give yourself a little grace right now.
sharp-newt-4415/10/2026
Three things: get a rental confirmation in writing before you assume you have one, do NOT give the other carrier a recorded statement without understanding what that means first, and go to your follow-up doctor appointment even if you feel slightly better. People skip that appointment and it kills their claim later.