# Heloise was in a car accident. :( **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 31, 2004, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436 "2004-03-31T00:51:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![woodstock989](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f05b48/32.png) [@woodstock989](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstock989)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/61 "2004-04-02T02:46:49Z")
Cars can be replaced; people can’t. Glad to hear she’s alright **Coldfire**. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Salem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Salem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salem)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/62 "2004-04-02T13:04:30Z")
I’m sure it’s no fun being separated as it is, but with an accident, it must make it that much more difficult. Hope **Heloise** has a speedy recovery and that your separation time flies by quickly. (Maybe **JohnnyLA** can just jump in his plane and fly you over for a quick visit. ;)) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/63 "2004-04-02T15:54:16Z")
Best wishes for **Heloise** ’s speedy recovery! ---
**Author:** ![Heloise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e36b37/32.png) [@Heloise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heloise)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/64 "2004-04-06T16:32:09Z")
Hi, everyone. Thanks for the wonderful thoughts, wishes and prayers. They mean a lot to me, and I could use them now. There’s no permanent damage, but I had more X-rays done and my back is tweaked. Besides my spine doing a pretty zigzag, I have several small torn ligaments down my back. The doctor was pointing out a lot of things that appear to be wrong with my back, that weren’t pre-existing, so I’m going to be visiting him for a while. Good thing the other guy has insurance, although he’s trying to weasel out of blame. I called his insurance company for information, and he hadn’t even reported the accident, so I guess I know how that’s going to go. The car is totalled. ☹ This is the third car I’ve driven that’s been totalled, and it’s someone else’s fault. Always in Phoenix, too. I lived in San Diego and Los Angeles for 6 years and didn’t have this happen. Less than 6 months here, and another vehicle gets wrecked. Time to get the hell out. I’m doing half days at work, which is a wrenching experience on my back, but being a temp, I don’t have a lot of choice right now. The doctor couldn’t believe I was working at all, but went ahead with a work release saying I could do half days. The good news: I’m alive, I have a wonderful husband and it’s all going to work out. You can’t really ask for much more than that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/65 "2004-04-06T17:33:56Z")
Nice to meet you **Heloise** , although I sure wish the circumstances were different. So sorry about the accident but glad it wasn’t worse and that you’re now on the road to recovery. After all you’ve been through, you really deserve a **Cold** one. Here’s to a complete recovery and you guys living under the same roof asap! ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/66 "2004-04-07T07:51:22Z")
I’ll drink to that! Hmmm, coffee. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![LolaBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/67 "2004-04-07T07:59:48Z")
Hello **Heloise** , good to see you post. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/68 "2004-04-07T16:01:22Z")
It’s good to hear from you, Heloise. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/69 "2004-04-07T16:58:51Z")
Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry. Please take care of yourself, and don’t be afraid to go postal on the other guy’s ass. Let your insurance company deal with his insurance company. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/70 "2004-04-07T17:09:48Z")
> [@Heloise](#): > > … I have a wonderful husband … Wait a minute, wait a minute. I’m confused here. I thought you married **Coldfire**?!? Oh, I’m gonna get in trouble for that one! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/71 "2004-04-07T17:19:16Z")
It’s a little late, but I’ve been there - I was cut out of my car a few years ago - and it sounds as if she’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/72 "2004-04-08T13:52:30Z")
Watch yer step, Ponder Stibbons. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/73 "2004-04-08T14:36:36Z")
Glad to hear you’re on the way to being well again, **Heloise**. I’ll pray you mend completely, with no lasting pain etc. Hope the other driver doesn’t wriggle out of responsibility for this. What an asshat! You’ve got copies of the police report etc. right? (Figure you do, but mentioning just in case it got momentarily forgotten.) Good luck you two. Hope **Heloise** makes her escape from Pheonix cleanly. ---
**Author:** ![Heloise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e36b37/32.png) [@Heloise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heloise)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/74 "2004-04-09T15:57:48Z")
Nice to meet you as well, **lieu**. Yes the circumstances could be a bit better. **LolaBaby, GingerOfTheNorth** and **ivylass** : Thank you very much. And don’t worry, I’m not afraid to go postal. But strangely enough, his own insurance company can’t even get in touch with him. Now what??? **Ponder Stibbons** , ooh, you just wait until the Dopefest we meet at. 😃 **qts** Oooooouuuucccchhh. **Zabali\_Clawbane** , yes, I have a copy of the police report, and I believe he was cited, but as I stated above, he’s become a little unreachable. The examiner said that they would work on settling the car once he had everyone’s story, but how do you get his side of the story when he won’t contact his insurance agency??? BTW: My insurance company is paying off my car and then getting reimbursed by his company. They made an offer that won’t leave me owing too terribly much, although it would have been nice if they paid off the entire loan, instead of just bluebook value. Can’t complain too much. I’ve already learned, it could have been much worse. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/75 "2004-04-10T01:04:25Z")
It’s at this point that I would be sorely tempted to take him to small claims court for punitive “pain and suffering” damages. What an asshat! :mad: Still, very glad you’re going to be ok, and that you are getting compensated a decent amount. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/76 "2004-04-10T02:06:24Z")
I read all of this thread in about ten minutes time and my emotions have gone from absolute horror to utter relief to concern again. Please feel back to normal soon. In the meantime, just think about that day when you won’t have to be apart anymore. Focus on that. I will say a prayer for the both of you. But only a short one for **Coldfire** , okay? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/77 "2004-04-10T02:27:10Z")
**Heloise** , IANAL in AZ, but generally an insurance company’s obligation to deal with you in good faith is separate from their insured’s obligation to deal with _them_ in good faith. In other words, they are not allowed to use the excuse “Gee, we just can’t find our insured” as reason to not process you claim – especially when they don’t need to talk to him to figure out what happened, they _know_ what happened because they have the police report. Please be wary as you deal with the insurance company, no matter which company it is. Even the best companies are motivated by profit and will attempt to settle claims for as little as decently possible in order to protect their bottom line. And back injuries are notorious for taking a while to manifest and for lingering a long time. So don’t be rushed into settling your claim, don’t be pressured into settling it for too little, and don’t allow them to underestimate your damages. If you feel you are not being dealt with fairly by the insurance company, or that their offer to settle is not reasonable, see a lawyer. I’m glad you were not badly hurt, and I hope you’re feeling better soon. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/78 "2004-04-10T14:19:59Z")
I missed this thread for a while, too. **Heloise** hang in there, and baby your back. And don’t let the insurance people push you around. You and **Coldy** are both in my prayers. (Yes, Coldfire, I’ll even pray for you.) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436/79 "2004-04-10T19:12:58Z")
Dammit, how’d I miss this one for so long? **Coldy** , **Heloise** - sorry it happened, very glad it wasn’t worse. And you’re both in my prayers, anyway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heloise-was-in-a-car-accident/237436.md?page=3)