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Update for Tuesday


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Tomorrow will be two weeks since the car I was driving got totalled. Although GEICO, the other driver's insurance carrier, has already accepted liability and shelled out for a bit more than my son's car was worth, I will be spending the actual hour of the anniversary talking to a lawyer. Because there's a bodily injury claim. They've called me twice about a payoff, but I said it's too soon. I have no idea what they were planning to offer, whether $1000 or $3000 or $10,000. And yes, I do have PIP with my own insurance to cover 80% of the bills and full medical coverage to take care of any expenses that leak through.

 

I got no cuts or bruises in the wreck, nothing that will show up on an X-ray. But I do hurt. The ankle and foot are healing, albeit slowly, but the pain in my knee is worse. Sometimes it wakes me up at night. Meanwhile, the pain from my neck is spreading down my back. It's a typical whiplash injury; I was looking to my left at the oncoming car when it hit. My wrists, which did not hurt before, have been hurting since I've taken to walking with a cane.

 

Yes, I'm whining. Yes, it could be an awful lot worse.

 

I'm peculiarly anxious about engaging a lawyer. I have this inchoate feeling it will turn every process into an adversarial one, losing all the friendly chatting I've gotten used to from the insurance companies involved. But I feel like I have to. See, fourteen years ago when my house burned down, those friendly chatty insurance people robbed me blind.

 

My doctor has been blowing me off, giving me painkiller and saying he'll wait another three weeks (from now) to decide whether to refer me to an orthopedic specialist. I know this is not right, but I haven't had the spine to insist on better treatment. The lawyer, if he takes my case, will coordinate the medical care. I just don't know if a noncrippling whiplash, a ruptured bursa, and some sprains and strains will be enough to pay for the attorney's time. Or if he'll blow me off and leave me at this uninterested doctor's mercy.

 

So that's where I am. There isn't going to be a lot of gardening done this summer. My tomatoes are sulking, the first of my potato plants is just about ready to harvest, and I basically can only watch them because bending over makes me dizzy and I can't bear to put my weight on my knees.

 

Oh, and because of the unpleasant new neighborn next door, I'm having to give up my chickens. It's lose the chickens or lose the cats, and my cats are infinitely more precious.

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Sounds like a plate full :-( The worst thing about those types of injuries is that it can take years to realize the significance of just what all was involved. Someone close to me "thought" they were fairly okay...but went home & passed out on the bed. Found out that they had a cracked jaw, ruptured bladder, separated spine muscles and a host of other injuries, and now...35 years later, found the back injury was crippling and had to have major/invasive surgery requiring months of recovery etc. So, being cautious isn't being foolish. Hang in there.

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(((((((Ambergris)))))))

 

I'm so sorry you were injured! I didn't know you were going through this. I wish I had some sage advise but the fact is, you never really know how these things will turn out.

 

I had a similar thing happen many years ago. My lawyer was hem-hawing around and then theirs was. Before we went to court, the guy responsible for the accident murdered his wife so they were happy to get rid of me. I thought it was a good settlement (and it was) but many years later I am paying for it. I had whiplash twice and now arthritis has settled in my back and especially my neck. It's a mess now.

 

One good thing, that I didn't have, is that you can get insurance for pre-existing issues now. I was always afraid to mention about the accidents to doctors. At least you will get care years from now. Not great news but it's something.

 

The problem is, these things can many many years to rear their ugly head and unfortunately, the courts won't wait that long. I suppose you need to pick an amount you are comfortable with and hold out for it. Now is the time to stand firm. What I usually do in those situations is pick MY number then add to it so I can give up a little in the end. That way it looks like I'm willing to negotiate and give a little.

 

I'm sorry about your chickens. But yeah, choose which will bring you the most joy.

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Get a lawyer. Many will do it on contingency, 20-35% depending on they type of lawyer you get.

 

 

All the accidents I've been in, (all of them were not my fault, just my bad luck), the lawyer had the upper hand against the insurance companies. Insurance claim adjusters will try to pay off as little as they can, and try to make you feel like you got a good deal.

 

The one time I did not get a lawyer because I thought I could deal with them, they snookered me.

 

MIL's accident was the same, the her insurance company only wanted to pay for the blue book on her Lincoln and no medical, because she did not go to the hospital. The lawyer was able to get her medical paid 100% and because she needed in home help, they even paid for a nurse to come and care for her until she healed. And, they also got her a nice compensation for all the trouble she went through.

 

If it hurts, get it checked out NOW. I broke my back in one accident and walked into the hospital much later, only to find out 3 vertebrae were crushed. I got a concussion in another and was unable to watch tv or bend over without getting dizzy that lasted over 6 months. The concussion was diagnosed much later when the stupid headaches would not go away. Whiplash herniated the discs in my back, diagnosed much later in another accident. Had I not gotten a lawyer, I would have had to use my own medical insurance, paying deductibles and co-pays.

 

I am grateful you are not seriously injured and will keep you in my prayers.

 

:pray:

 

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I was once advised to always go to the hospital after an accident. Even if you don't feel like you need it. If you don't it can come back to bite you in the butt later. And never admit fault. That can come back to bite you later too.

 

Be careful accepting and signing a check from your insurance company too!!! Accepting their check can mean you agree with their decision and that they have paid in full... the end. Years ago some people would take the check for the damage of the car thinking they would go after the insurance for bodily damages later. Turns out the fine print said that check was the final payment from the insurance. I don't know how it is now.

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It's unfortunate that just when we're feeling very poorly, is when we must make GOOD choices. :pray: that God will guide your choices and you'll get someone in your corner!!!!

 

Please don't minimize what's happened and put on a cheery face. Some of us want to look tough...and we probably are tough. :darth duck: But....you NEED to allow for the fact that tough or not, someone else was at fault. You will pay in pain, neglected veggies, and likely problems keeping up at work and home. Don't pay more than that and get compensated for those things!

 

MtRider :grouphug:

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Do not accept a settlement until all your injuries are known, even if it takes a year.

Can you not get a different doctor? Be sure to get a lawyer that specializes in accident claims.

 

I had a friend that came off the ramp in her little sports coupe and went under a semi.

They checked her over and said she was allright!!! She was on pain pills for 6 months

lost weight down to nothing and turned from sweet to a vicious wife and mom. They

forced her to go to a different doctor who said the medication was way too much

but that was not all ... he put her in traction for 6 weeks......... do to her injuries......

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Be careful with this. It seems to most people that a "whiplash" injury will go away. For some---it does not. It can be a problem thru your entire life. See the lawyer and be sure to demand the latest and best treatment for your injurys. Do not "settle" for anything less than what you will deserve for the long run.

I wish you a speedy recovery and all the best ! -- Cheryl

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I think you're getting very good advice! Last year I stumbled on a low step going down to a sidewalk and did a "face plant" on the sidewalk of a restaurant. Bloody nose, bloody & bruised upper lip (inside and out), scraped & bloody knees & hands and a twisted ankle. Made a "huge" mistake by letting it go by. The owner of restaurant is now out of business, moved to a different state and I've been having dizzy spells for about 6 months. First thought it was low thyroid, then thought it was allergies filling up my ears...now I'm thinking it was a concussion. Too late now though.

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I'm sometimes walking with the cane, sometimes not. The knee is no better, but not much worse. It doesn't hurt, but it feels frighteningly odd. Snap your fingers. That's the sound I get at random times when bending my knee. People standing five feet away can hear it.

 

Three visits to a chiropractor got rid of the constant headache and gave me a normal range of head/neck motion, although reaching the edges is painful and there's a constant neck-ache that does not go away. Also, I'm getting a wave of dizziness right as I lie down. It disappears in seconds, but it's alarmingly strong. I got an MRI on the neck last week, but don't have the results yet.

 

I'm not happy with my primary care physician. I have for a while been dissatisfied with his "if the pills don't work, get more and bigger pills" attitude, and now I'm really unhappy that he seems to have decided I have arthritis in the knee, possibly complicated with bursitis, and that I don't need it looked into any further. Never mind the snapping noises (which refused to occur in front of him, of course), the oddly heavy feeling to my lower leg when the knee is bent at a certain angle, the feeling of unsteadiness, and the sudden emergence of all this right after a car wreck. I had to call later and insist he give me a referral to an Ortho immediately, instead of waiting four weeks to see how things went.

And my blood pressure is up despite the BP medication dosage having been doubled twice in six months. I don't know why he doubled the dosage again instead of trying a different kind of medication. BTW, my primary care physician is also my chiropractor's primary care physician. They do not get along. Surprise, surprise, surprise.

 

The hip has healed up entirely, leaving no problems. The ankle and foot only hurt when I curl my foot to the inside, like when I hit the brakes. That damage was probably caused while I was bracing on the dead car's brake pedal.

 

I talked to four people and still couldn't figure out whether I was handling things properly, and was alarmed to realize I was listening to the chiropractor's explanations as if they constituted legal advice (which, you have to know, he is far to wily to give out without a license) so I hired a lawyer on Thursday. Remember you were praying a couple of years ago for a pregnant lady who had a mysterious liver condition that could have killed the baby? Her husband's godfather works with my lawyer. I spent part of my visit gossiping about laughing happy toddlers with pinchable little cheekies.

 

I have only gone down to my garden plot once. The ground there is just too rough to walk on without a significant danger of falling. I am advised not to fall. The plot will, I guess, have to fall by the wayside. It's not like my sons want to take it on. Oh well.

Edited by Ambergris
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Well there is good and bad news in that update. Glad chiro was able to give you relief from some things fairly quickly. Some things do not happen quickly....certainly not a quickly as we'd like. I think it's wise to hire an attorney for legal aspects. This is such a predatory society right now. If you don't do things just so...you can be losing out. Pathetic but that's what we've become. Life doesn't have to be this complicated....if people would just play nice....or at least honest. But it is what it is.

 

MtRider ...praying that you'll have a great lawyer, chiro and primary care!!!!!

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Very painful :-( You'll be wanting a very sturdy back brace in your life. Both of us wear back braces when we're working, even just gardening. It's just not worth the pain to go without one and certainly not worth future damage. Take care & know that all your friends here are praying.

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Whoooooo..... Finally nailed something to describe/identify your pain! That's the good part of your news. The bad part is treatment and enduring it while it heals. :(

 

I hope the chiro looked at an Xray before adjusting. In case of accident, DH refuses to budge anything on the spine without the patient bringing in post-accident Xrays [he doesn't do them himself]. The rest of the spine obviously took a hit too so chiro still has work to do.....carefully and only with techniques that won't flare affected discs.

 

Let me guess, you are only comfortable at all if you are lying pretty much flat? I've a history of neck problems dating back to a martial arts injury [self-induced...I wasn't sparing] back in the early '70's. Eventually, with decent care, I got to the point that I rarely remember it even happened.

 

Please go with what your body says is best! Really...it will save you time in the long run.

 

MtRider ;pray:

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Visited the orthopedic surgeon's office today. Was prescribed new anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy (to start after Friday when I see the knee specialist) and a visit to a neurologist on grounds I show symptoms of post-concussive syndrome.

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