A fender bender on Perkins Road, College Drive or Acadian Thruway can rattle anyone, even when nobody is hurt and the damage looks small. A few simple steps make the claim and the repair go smoother.
Gordon & Sandifer has repaired Baton Rouge cars on Perkins Road since 1956, and our shop handles collision repair and mechanical work under one roof. Here is the plain-language version of what we tell neighbors after a small crash, from the crash scene to the day you get your keys back.
What should I do right after a fender bender in Baton Rouge?
Right after a fender bender, check that everyone is OK and call 911 if anyone is hurt. If the cars can be driven and it is safe, move them out of traffic and turn on your hazard lights. Then exchange names, phone numbers, insurance information, license plates and vehicle details with the other driver.
Keep it polite, stick to the facts and let the insurers sort out fault. Note the nearest cross street and the time.
Do I need a police report for a fender bender?
A police report is worth having even for a small fender bender. It gives both insurance companies a neutral record of where, when and how the accident happened, along with the other driver’s information. Without one, a claim can turn into your word against theirs, and that slows everything down.
Ask the officer for the report or item number before you leave, and write it down with the officer’s name. If an officer does not come to the scene, write down what happened while it is fresh and keep it with your photos.
Photos at the scene of a fender bender make the insurance claim easier
Photos taken at the scene are some of the most useful things you can give your insurer and your repair shop. Take wide shots that show both cars and the road, then close-ups of every dent and scrape, the other car’s plate and the other driver’s insurance card. Your phone’s time stamp helps too.
Later, those pictures help us compare what the crash touched with what we find once the bumper comes off.
Expert tip: Once both cars are somewhere safe, take a short video while walking slowly around each one. A video catches angles a few photos miss.
When should I call my insurance company after a fender bender?
Call your insurance company as soon as you are safe and have the other driver’s information, ideally the same day. Most policies ask you to report an accident promptly. The claims representative will open a claim, give you a claim number and explain the next steps, such as an estimate or an inspection.
Keep the claim number handy, since your repair shop will use it too. We work with most auto insurance companies, and we help customers through the claim from the first estimate to the final repair.
Can I choose my own repair shop after an accident in Baton Rouge?
Yes. You can choose the shop that repairs your car. Your insurance company may suggest a shop from its own list, and you are welcome to use it, yet the decision is yours. Tell your claims representative which shop you want, and that shop will work with the insurer on the estimate and repair.
Pick a shop you trust to tell you the truth about your car. Gordon & Sandifer has been a family shop on Perkins Road for three generations and BBB Accredited since 1967, and many of our customers have trusted us with their cars for 20 and 30 years. Our collision technicians are I-CAR certified.
Hidden damage behind a bumper often shows up as a supplement
The first estimate on a fender bender usually covers only the damage you can see. Once the bumper cover comes off, technicians often find cracked brackets, crushed foam absorbers, bent reinforcement bars or broken clips. The shop documents that hidden damage and sends a supplement to the insurer for approval before repairing it.
A supplement is a normal part of collision repair, and it does not mean anyone made a mistake. We photograph what we find, explain it in plain words and keep you posted while the insurer reviews it.
Why should my alignment and suspension be checked after a small accident?
Even a low-speed hit to a wheel or corner of the car can bend a tie rod, shift a control arm or knock the wheels out of alignment. The car may drive almost normally at first, then pull to one side, sit with the steering wheel off center or wear a tire unevenly within weeks.
That is why we check the wheel alignment and look over the suspension and steering parts on the corner that took the hit. A bent part has to be replaced before an alignment will hold, and finding it during the repair lets it be documented with the rest of the collision damage.
A fender bender can damage the AC condenser and safety sensors
The front of a modern car holds more than sheet metal. The AC condenser sits right behind the grille, and many cars carry radar sensors, parking sensors and cameras in the bumper, grille and windshield. A small hit can crack the condenser or knock a sensor slightly out of aim.
A cracked condenser may leak slowly, so the AC blows warm a week later. We check it during the repair, and our AC repair team works in the same building. Sensors that help with automatic braking or lane keeping may need ADAS calibration after a bumper or grille replacement, so they aim where the car is actually going.
Expert tip: After any repair to the front or rear bumper, watch the dash for the first few drives. A warning light for lane keeping, adaptive cruise or parking sensors, or a system that acts strange, is a sign the sensors need a look. Call us and we’ll check it.
One shop for collision and mechanical repair keeps your car in one place
When the body shop and the mechanic are the same shop, your car stays put. Gordon & Sandifer handles the bodywork, paint, alignment, suspension, AC condenser and sensor calibration under one roof on Perkins Road, so one team sees the whole car and one person keeps you updated from start to finish.
Many collision shops send mechanical work out, and many mechanical shops send body work out. Every handoff adds days and another set of people to call.
Where can I get fender bender repair near me in Baton Rouge?
Gordon & Sandifer repairs fender benders at 3825 Perkins Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, near Acadian Thruway and Southdowns Shopping Center. We’re open Monday through Thursday 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM and Friday 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Call (225) 343-3427 to set up an estimate or ask about your claim.
If you can’t get away during the day, use our after-hours drop-off. Leave it on your way home and we’ll call you in the morning. Directions are on our contact page. We’ll tell you plainly what the crash damaged and what it didn’t, and keep you posted until the car is ready.