What to do?

[Condor]

Bascially, this is the story:

Im sitting waiting for somebody to turn, and a maniac in a pest control
truck rear ends me at about 60. I would have had a broken kneck if I didnt have a BMW (99, 323). His truck is totalled, I am pushed about 25 ft.

I'm thinking I am OK on friday pm. Friday night, I have pains running down
my left leg, a migraine headache, and Sat, trouble focusing my eyes.

I didnt think the damage on my car was so bad at first. After further examination, trunk, bumper, muffler (bent fills car with fumes now), brake lights dont work, rear end pushed about 2 inches into trunk so spare doesnt fit now.

I am told by reliable sources if I dont get this fixed at the BMW place, I'll never be even close to right.

I've been hurt before, so I'm thinking based on my experience, I'll be
back to not hurting in 2-3+ months or so.

I've never gotten a lawyer before.

I'm in a position (getting married, saving for a new house) that I can not
lose even $1 on this accident fixing things they didn't fix
(body damage, transmission making funny sound, alignment off).

What should I do?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[DNW]

Originally Posted by Condor

What should I do?

Get a lawyer. Call a doctor.

In that order.

 

[Stax]

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

Get a lawyer. Call a doctor.

In that order.

and don't talk to guy in the pest control truck until you have completed task one, above.

 

[Edward Appleby]

Get a lawyer. Call a doctor.
QUOTE]
QFE. Dunno about the order though- I'd want a doctor if I was having trouble focusing my eyes a day later. Have you not been to one yet?

 

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

Get a lawyer. Call a doctor.

In that order.

Get a doctor now (saying this only for the blurry vision), and take your time picking your lawyer since you'll want a ruthless fighter. Not that you want to screw the pest-control company, but you want things the way they were before the wreck, and that will take $$$.

But all-in-all, the most important thing really is your health, IMHO. Hence, doctor first.

I wouldn't even take the pest-control company's calls. Your lawyer will (very likely) deal with their insurance company to get a settlement.

 

[Ivan Kipling]

Get medical attention, immediately. Seek an attorney's advice. Say nothing to anyone concerning the accident, in the interim.

 

[Condor]

I went to the dr. today. Basically, since nothing is
broken, there isn't a whole lot she could do (i guess).

I only met with the dr. first, because she could see me
before the lawyer (tomorrow). The end result is she gave
the super size me order of pain pills, said do your best to
stretch your back, if it doesnt get better, let me know.
The trouble focusing is getting a little better each day.

The real thing I have to find out from the lawyer, well
both things - 1. I actually need a 3rd operation from
where I was hurt in the army in 86. This condition has
been extremely exaserbated by the crash. (I'm currently
waiting on a determination from the VA to see if I can
get it for free). But it seems to me there is this latin legal
word for if you are worse off than a normal person, and then
injured, if that makes you 10X injured than a normal person,
then its not my fault, its yours.

2. German cars don't explode on impact like others. So the
bumper/trunk, etc, isnt all flying off on the road. But after having
somebody that knows look at it, the inside, like the trunk
and drivetrain, have been pushed forward about 2 inches.
It was a hard hit. My transmission is making a sound. I'm told
dont drive it much. That puts me back to an 87 honda CRX
that nothing works on it due to a crack smoking mechanic ruining
the whole thing (not bought as a project car, bought new in 87
with my army money). So now I need to get that minimally
operating, when really, my money needs to go toward the
wedding (nov)/honeymoon, etc. Not to mention, 4 ppl 2 cats
in a 2 bedroom, we need to move. I cant now fix it myself.
So for the first time ever, I'm paying to have brakes fixed.
Nothing else on the thing works. Nothing. It's unpleasant
to drive around.

Make no mistake: if i was in that honda i'd be crippled right now.
I've got a lot to be thankful for. But its really aggrevating when
I'm supposed to be getting ready to get married and pile in, and
I can barely move around at all.

 

[Edward Appleby]

Well, at least you got a nice big prescription for happy pills. Also, if you get a good lawyer I'm sure you'll get a good settlement out of the insurance co. I am sorry though. Best of luck.

 

[j]

Dude, what kind of doctor did you go to? You should go to the ER immediately and have a full workup. Blurred vision is not normal... something could be seriously wrong. Not trying to freak you out, but you need to document everything.

BTW, if anyone ever gets in a serious crash, call for an ambulance and take the ambulance to the ER right away. Things can be wrong with you that will kill you later that day even if you feel fine. And, if necessary, once you get into court/insurance settlements, it's important to show that you were concerned for your health from the very beginning so that when stuff starts feeling really wrong a couple days later, they can't use your walking away "just fine" against you.

As for the BMW, I had mine seriously crashed into (I wasn't in it luckily) and the body bent, etc. I sent it to the best bodyshop around, the one near my work that works on all the Porsche racecars and stuff. They got it ironed out and, with a couple of small glitches, it drove like new again. BTW, if you want to do any aftermarket stuff to it (e.g. exhaust), this might be the time since they will be doing the labor anyway, if you know what I mean. I should have thought ahead and had them get me the good headlights instead of replacing them with stock, but I was too depressed to think about it at the time.

Anyway, sorry this happened, good luck and let us know if we can help in any way.

 

[Condor]

I just went to the family practice dr.
I thought about going to the ER, just to be safe.
But I didn't, because
1. at the time, i didnt feel that bad. It was like
3 hrs later, I didnt feel that great.

2. I was going home at lunch to get some info for
the Navy Officer Engineering Corps Reserve, that I absolutely
had to have right then. Despite my injuries (previous),
I'm up for officer it seems, if I get it, its (over the next
15 years) hundreds of thousands of $$ to me. I can actually
make part time doing that as an officer, what my normal take
home pay is now.

3. My insurance changed from Sept 29 to Oct 1. It would have cost
me $2000+ to go to the ER friday. Not so now. I agree, in the end,
the maniac will pay the bill, but in the interum, the hospital will send me
to collections. One of the things the navy looks at for my security
clearance is my credit.....

this crash, its just like at a really, really bad point for me right now.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by Condor

I just went to the family practice dr.
I thought about going to the ER, just to be safe.
But I didn't, because
1. at the time, i didnt feel that bad. It was like
3 hrs later, I didnt feel that great.

2. I was going home at lunch to get some info for
the Navy Officer Engineering Corps Reserve, that I absolutely
had to have right then. Despite my injuries (previous),
I'm up for officer it seems, if I get it, its (over the next
15 years) hundreds of thousands of $$ to me. I can actually
make part time doing that as an officer, what my normal take
home pay is now.

3. My insurance changed from Sept 29 to Oct 1. It would have cost
me $2000+ to go to the ER friday. Not so now. I agree, in the end,
the maniac will pay the bill, but in the interum, the hospital will send me
to collections. One of the things the navy looks at for my security
clearance is my credit.....

this crash, its just like at a really, really bad point for me right now.
A good PI attorney should be able to interface with the medical providers as well. Is the pest control firm an established, reputable one? If so, they're likely to have insurance, which should (in most cases) make things go more easily.
You want to make sure you're prompt and pro-active in seeking all the medical help you might need (and figuring out what that is). First and most importantly to make sure you're ok and getting the care you need. Second, because the longer you wait the more you open yourself up to a suggestion down the road that it really wasn't that bad, or that you belatedly tried to play it up to support a claim for damages.

 

[gamelan]

having just experienced a bulging disc in my back for the past 9 months i would find another doctor that will order more tests for your condition. at least an x-ray and maybe an MRI for your back. and definitely something for your blurred vision. your body is NOT something you want to be fuckin' with. take care of yourself.

then find a good lawyer.

-Jeff

 

[designprofessor]

Don't stress about the wedding. That should and will be one of the pivotal days of your life -enjoy it-
This wreck stuff will be dealt with -but don't let this wreck cloud your mood about your wedding.

 

[acidboy]

whatever you do, i hope everything turns out to your satisfaction, and that you have a full recovery. be glad you're alive.

 

[Lucky Strike]

Originally Posted by gamelan

your body is NOT something you want to be fuckin' with.

Well...speak for yourself...

But seriously; follow the advice given by j, lawyerdad, gamelan et al...