VW 2001 JETTA cannot open trunk?

you can go behind the seat(if possible) and look if a shirt or something is stuck on the latch and most cars have a pull switch to the trunk be hind the back seat try to pull that hard

So I would be either pressing down on the lid or lifting up while I keyed it. The fact it opened, closed and locked perfectly(you of course then tried to open it immediately again I hope) otherwise your assessment to the actual damage is inaccurate. Recently it won't work, so something happened after the accident. You either got a second bang, or someone gave it a boot because it was damaged, or someone stuffed an elephant in the trunk. Can't really say. This is what the mechanic is gonna try first, before he lays the "boots to it" No magic.

The latch is probably caught on something, try pulling the trunk up with some force, if that does not work get to it by removing the rear cushion thing.