First accident ever — rear-ended at a red light, trunk won't latch. Is this totaled?

I was in almost the exact same situation two years ago — rear-ended, car still driveable, but the backend looked rough. Mine ended up being totaled once they actually got into it at the shop because the rear frame rails were bent. You really can't tell just by looking at the outside. Definitely ask the shop specifically about structural/frame damage — a good body shop will check that as part of the estimate.

Former adjuster here. On the totaled question — it comes down to whether the repair estimate hits a certain percentage of your car's actual cash value (ACV). That threshold varies by state but it's usually somewhere in the 70-80% range. Here's the thing though: the ACV they use is often on the low end of what your car is actually worth on the market. You can push back on that number with comparable listings in your area. I've seen people get hundreds more just by doing that research and asking.

Please don't ignore that neck stiffness. Whiplash symptoms can feel minor at first and then get significantly worse over the next week or two as inflammation builds up. Go see a doctor — even just your primary care — and get it documented. I'm not saying you're seriously hurt, but you want a medical record started in case it does worsen. Don't wait until it becomes a bigger problem.

A couple of practical things: First, keep the bungee cord situation going and take photos of it — that actually helps document that the car has been unusable in a normal way since the crash. Second, your property damage claim and any personal injury claim are technically separate things, but they're often handled together by the same adjuster. The neck stiffness you mentioned is worth documenting separately and you may want to hold off on signing any releases until you know how you're feeling. Once you sign a full release, that's usually it.

Short answer: yes, get your own independent estimate. Yes, the first offer on your car's value is usually low. Yes, frame damage is a big deal and you should ask the shop directly. And go to the doctor for your neck — today if you can. That's the whole checklist right there.

Ugh, I'm so sorry this happened to you. The bungee cord thing would stress me out every single day. I hope the shop appointment goes smoothly and you get some real answers. Make sure you're taking care of yourself too — the physical stuff sometimes sneaks up on you after adrenaline wears off.

How fast do you think they were going when they hit you? And was there any damage to their vehicle? Sometimes people underestimate the impact because everything happened so fast. The reason I ask is that "still drives fine" doesn't mean much — I've seen cars that drove fine after a collision and had significant hidden structural damage. Just curious how hard the hit actually felt.

The fact that liability was accepted immediately is actually a big deal — a lot of people have to fight just to get to that point. You're already ahead of where a lot of accident victims start. Now it's just about making sure you document everything well and don't rush any part of this process. You've got more leverage than you probably realize.