# Advice after serious car accident **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 22, 2025, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950 "2025-12-22T15:46:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/21 "2025-12-22T23:21:05Z")
Excellent point. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/22 "2025-12-22T23:22:00Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Well, there’s dead. But we won’t go there. Actually, it’s inevitable that we all go there. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/23 "2025-12-23T00:30:29Z")
No posting on social media means no posting at all. No one can tag you. A simple picture of you on a sailboat could be argued that you can’t be in that much pain if you’re able to enjoy a day on a boat ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/24 "2025-12-23T01:06:33Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Get an attorney, as soon as possible. Mouth(fingers) shut online. > > (Eta..maybe ask the Mods to delete this thread) I agree with this 100%. Get a personal injury attorney soon, and talk to them only. Both insurance companies (yours and the at-fault party’s) may already be scouring social media to look for things you’ve said that could lower their liability. Asking the mods to delete this thread is a good idea, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/25 "2025-12-23T01:11:27Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Asking the mods to delete this thread is a good idea, IMO. Well, the OP is likely to get a question in discovery about any statement made to anyone (including on line) that discusses the collision. There’s nothing harmful (probably) in the OP. So, I don’t think it should cause any anxiety. But no other social media about the case (or, better, about anything) is the best route. At least until you discuss with a lawyer. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/26 "2025-12-23T01:30:56Z")
Deleting threads (or posts) is against board policy. You posted it, you own it. Pretty much period. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/27 "2025-12-23T01:35:14Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Get a lawyer, this talk about trusting insurance agents is quaint IMHO. My wife, as a pedestrian, was ran over by a car and suffered severe, life threatening injuries. She survived but has permanent damage. I was 100% overwhelmed those first few days of intensive care and ended up getting a lawyer. That was my best decision. They started handling the overwhelming number of things that have to be dealt with. We were also lucky that the driver had good insurance and an umbrella policy. The insurance companies do not have your best interest in mind. At all. > [@Procrustus](#): > > If you don’t have a lead on a good recommendation from family or friends, don’t pick one based on a billboard or advertisement. Yes to this. I had a good recommendation and good it was. > [@RivkahChaya](#): > > An insurance company may badger you, attempting to get you to settle, but a lawyer won’t let this happen. They will also badger you to get statements. Don’t give them. > [@CoolHandCox](#): > > This part is called **liability**. Who’s fault is the accident. This matters a lot. Hopefully the other’s drivers insurance will accept liability. But not always. Even when it’s "clearly’ their driver’s fault. This. The driver’s insurance company wouldn’t leave us alone to get a statement and I’m sure it was to help split up liability. My wife had multiple traumatic brain injuries and wanted to get her on the phone. Desperately. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > 'MURRICA: you’re heavily insured, super lucky, or utterly fucked. Well, adding the “you’re dead” part, and this is so true. We were lucky the driver had great insurance. As an aftermath, I talked to my insurance agent and now have pretty much maxed out insurance and an umbrella policy. It didn’t raise our rate much at all. If the other driver didn’t have this great insurance, they would’ve been sued and they would have lost and they have assets. You are really fucked if it is someone without assets and the minimum liability auto insurance. I hope that isn’t your case. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/28 "2025-12-23T02:27:48Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > As an aftermath, I talked to my insurance agent and now have pretty much maxed out insurance and an umbrella policy. It didn’t raise our rate much at all. If the other driver didn’t have this great insurance, they would’ve been sued and they would have lost and they have assets. You are really fucked if it is someone without assets and the minimum liability auto insurance. I hope that isn’t your case. Putting a hard underline under this … If you do have assets and you don’t have a huge umbrella policy, you are utterly fucked if you cause a serious crash. Or get legally blamed for one you didn’t cause. Likewise you’re utterly fucked if you’re a victim of a serious crash, and you don’t have serious amounts of overlapping coverage for everything from medical to long term care to rehab to … , and the other joker is not as heavily insured as you need. Which shortfall on their part is a virtual certainty. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/29 "2025-12-23T02:32:14Z")
I must stress, I was shocked at how much our rates didn’t skyrocket to add so much more coverage. Of course, we aren’t living paycheck to paycheck so what was minimal to us was affordable, but we have a lot of assets to protect and that fairly minimal increase was well, well worth it. Edit to add: We live in a low insurance premium region so YMMV. But, we have our house and a rental, along with our cars, so it was very worth it to us. My moto insurance is through a different agent, but I might rethink that at some point. Motos aren’t typically the cause of costly mayhem, but that isn’t always true. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/30 "2025-12-23T02:48:09Z")
I live in a very high cost of insurance region. And I too found that piling on the backup insurance, umbrella coverage, 7 figures of un-/under-insured motorist, etc., was a trivial cost versus the assets and lifestyle needing defending. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/31 "2025-12-23T03:07:24Z")
It’s been done. Plenty of times. In a case of doxxing it seems prudent. I suppose the PTB could delete it if really necessary. It may be that the OPs name here and in RL can be different and difficult to put together. If it were me, I’d want it gone. Abundance of caution and all. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/32 "2025-12-23T03:34:12Z")
I didn’t read the responses, but knowing the SDMB, I’m sure you got some good advice. I just wanted to say how freaking sorry I am. Anybody who knows me will tell you that my own life’s experience has me too often playing an evangelist for how “… life can change in the blink of an eye.” I hope your recovery is full and speedy, and I hope that the financial, legal, and insurance aspects of this – all but inevitable – are smoother than you would ever have guessed. I hope everybody involved treats you infinitely better than this situation did. I’m just so profoundly sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/33 "2025-12-23T11:24:05Z")
I’m sorry that I don’t have anything interesting or informative to add. I just want to say I’m glad you’re still with us, glad you’re still posting. I hope you make a recovery that surprises even you, and that this chapter is behind you as quickly as possible. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/34 "2025-12-23T13:05:28Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > fairly minimal increase was well, well worth it. Sometimes things you wouldn’t expect will lower your insurance. I live in an apartment, but was able to buy an electric car, because I rented a free-standing garage with a wall outlet, and plug my car in every night. It’s very rare not to wake up with it fully charged, so the cost of the garage is what I pay for fuel every month. And yes, the property manager knows about it-- I talked it over with them when I applied to rent the garage, before I’d even bought the car. Not my intention, but serendipitously, garaging the car made my insurance cheaper by $30/month. So the net cost to rent the $120 garage monthly is $90, and that is all I pay for fuel per month, unless I do something unusual that requires a DC fast charge, which might cost $7, if I go at off-peak hours. Off-topic from accidents, but something about insurance I didn’t know, that I do now, and I also don’t have to scrape ice off my car. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/35 "2025-12-23T13:06:43Z")
I’m pretty far down the list of replies and I hope you see this: [avvo.com](http://avvo.com) is a lawyer rating site. With my motorcycle accident, still in the hospital, I came to the conclusion I needed to lawyer up and this site helped me pick one. Highly rated, with a log history and recent reviews. When the insurance said I hadn’t used enough pain killer so I must have been well enough to get a ride rather than take an ambulance and they weren’t going to cover the $50k hospital bill, I handed the letter to my lawyer and said “make this go away”…and they did. It will take at least a year to resolve…and like said above you will need and want the time to make sure all of your injuries, physical and financial, are addressed. ---
**Author:** ![dimike333](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dimike333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dimike333)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2025, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950/36 "2025-12-26T16:01:40Z")
With a “Superior endplate compression fracture”, your long-term medical costs and potential loss of future income are significant variables. When I was navigating a complex injury claim, I consulted [Abogados Centro Legal](https://abogadoscentrolegal.com/abogado-de-accidentes-en-hoover/) because Alabama’s negligence laws are very specific about how evidence is presented. So make sure you document every single physical therapy session and follow-up scan, as the other driver’s carrier will likely try to argue that the 10-20% height loss isn’t a “permanent disability” to reduce their liability. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-after-serious-car-accident/1025950.md?page=1)