I got rear-ended this morning… and not in the good way.
I’m slowing down for a read light (it was yellow at the time). I hit the brakes hard, but not hard enough to skid. The guy behind me hit his brakes and did skid. He did his best to miss me but [Al Jerreau] I guess his best wasn’t good enough.[/Al Jerreau]
An hour and a half later I’m sitting at work and feeling my neck get stiffer and stiffer. This is really gonna smart tomorrow.
My car is toast. It’s probably reparable, but it’s gonna be in the shop for a while and I’ll have a rental (if the car isn’t totalled. It’s 10 years old.
I am just very thankful that I had already dropped The Littlest Doper[sup]TM[/sup] at his baby sitter’s before the accident.
I second Arden Ranger’s comment. Neck injuries & whiplash and such can feel fine right afterwards, but bug you for a long time to come. Go get it checked now. Waiting won’t do you any good at all!
Actually, I just got off the phone with Mrs. Spritle who (having a phone book) called my PCP. I’m gonna go to the emergency room this afternoon and get checked out. Last time this happened (A big Ford Expedition rolled over onto my car) I got some perscriptions for some really cool drugs - some 800 mg Ibuprofin and Skalaxin (sp?) a VERY strong muscle relaxant.
I just spoke with the other guy’s boss (he got fired - it was a dealer’s car) who had already spoken with their insurance agent about the accident. The process of auto repair should begin soon.
This is the third accident this car has been in. Maybe I’ll just get a new one. But NOT a Dodge Durango. That’s what hit me. Both vehicles sustained about the same amount of damage. While my car will be around $3500 to fix (I estimate) he estimated the repars on the Dodge to be upwards of $5000. His, however (the Durango) had to be towed away. I drove my car to work. I love my Saturn.
[sub]Arden, no offense taken I still love you.[/sub]
Leave work and get to a doctor office or the emergency room now. Get someone to drive you.
As the recipient of several read-endings, even one is nothing to mess with. This is your health you are gambling with. You could have something as minor as a bruise, to as major as a fractured or broken bone (been there!). Permanent ramifications are nothing to be trifled with.
Better to be safe than sorry. How do you explain to The Littlest Doper[sup]TM[/sup] that mommy can no longer hold him because it’s too physically painful?
I know your messed up from the morning, but was all the paperwork taken care of? Did you get his insurance card? Did the other guy get a ticket (you may have stopped suddenly for the light, but it is still his responsibility to watch out for you)? Police report filed?
:eek: I’m so sorry to hear that, Spritle. Today is exactly two weeks since my accident, and I’m still having a lot of trouble with my lower back and left shoulder. PLEASE, please get checked out right away. You just never know. And make sure you get x-rays, if you even think you might have hit the steering wheel, or just hard against your seatbelt. Do tell us you were wearing your seatbelt, right???
I am so glad to hear that ‘little spritle’ wasn’t in the car when it happened. And, I know what you mean; I’ll never drink Pepsi again, or see one of their trucks without cringing. Good to know on the repair bill for the Durango, I was actually considering it for my next vehicle.
[sub]<Btw, I knew you were male, all male.>[/sub]
Screetch, Purplebear’s accident was with a Pepsi truck.
I also was considering a Durango. How bad must your car be when your MOM asks you when are you going to junk it? Thought they were the “save for a rainy day” people…
[hijack] I’m sorry, Screech. I didn’t want to detract from Spritle’s accident. I did post an update to the thread about my accident, you can read up on it there. [/hijack]
So, Spritle, how are you feeling now? How is the headache? Have you gone to the doctor’s yet? Keep us informed, please.
{{{{{{Spritle}}}}}}
Hi, Ed! Thanks for enlightening screech-owl for me.
Sorry about the delay in getting back to you, I had a meeting yesterday afternoon. I tried to get out of it, but since I was teaching it…
Anyway, the paperwork was taken care of. I called the police right after the accident. One half hour later officer McSloppy and his sidekick Cadet Rookey showed up. About 45 minutes after that, the paperwork was done. I can’t get too mad, the rookie was just out of the academy and had to get his feet wet sometime. I guess I’m just glad he didn’t get his first taste of cop life by being shot at. The driver got a $110 ticket for “failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident” for which I felt a tad guilty. Sure he hit me and all, but he sure didn’t mean to; he tried his best to stop and to swerve around me. He told the police that he hit me and that it was his fault. The ticket was just a bit of insult to the injury. The trooper said that whenever they write up a report, they have to write a citation.
I called the Earle’s (the guy who hit me) boss and was told that he was talking to Earle at that moment and would call me back. About half hour later he does, and tells me, “I hear one of our former employees hit you this morning.” I felt badly about that.
Anyway, they are admitting fault and the adjuster is gonna call me today (and I’ll try to get him). Then we can get this repair thing rolling.
The skinny on the vehicle thing (to clear up from earlier postings) ist that he is a car dealer and was borrowing one of the dealership’s Dodge Durangos while his personal car was in the shop. He was on his way to work when the accident happened. He told me that this would get him fired. I offered to call his boss and put in a good word for him but he declined, saying that God works in mysterious ways and that this was brobably for the best. Maybe a sign that he needed to switch jobs anyway.
Yes, I was wearing my seat belt. The shoulder belt is automatic and I ALWAYS use my lap belt.
I went to the emergency room last night for a “once over”. I’m fine. The doctor said that I had no internal injuries, no broken bones, no rips or tears and that I’ll be fine, eventually. However, it’ll get worse before it gets better. Soft Tissue Damage, he said - STD (HA!).
Right now, about 24 hours after the accident, I’m in a bit of pain. My left side hurts from my hip to my head in a path about 2 inches wide right to the left of my spine. Soft Tissue Damage indeed.
Garwsh, purplebear my first cyber hug. I’m blushing.
P.S.; I read about your accident and hope you are recovering nicely. Your boo-boo sounded much worse.
Now, I will leave you all to subtle jokes and innuendos and quiet sniggering about me getting STD from being rear ended.
I’m not going to crack jokes, but I am going to giggle all day thinking about this.
I’ll tell you like I told Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor a couple of weeks ago, soak in epsom salt. It’ll help with the soreness.
I usta (lue’s word) have a Saturn and was rear-ended by a Explorer a few years ago. The outer bumper bounced back and it looked fine. The inner bumper part thingy was totally messed up and I had about $3000 in damage.
I’m glad to hear you’re all right. Take it easy Spritle and don’t forget to soak.
Epsom salt, eh? A coworker suggested I pour a beer in a tub of hot water and soak in that. I certainly don’t want any drug interaction stuff happening, so I’ve decided to soak in a hot tub of epsom salts and drink beer. Hey, if it’s good on the outside, it’ll be better on the inside, I’m thinking. I imagine that after an hour in the tub and 5 or 6 beers I’ll be pain free.
In other news, I just got a call from Diamler-Chrysler insurance. They said to go get a rental car, take my car to the body shop of my choice and have all bills and estimates faxed to them. No adjuster to my house or anything. If only all insurance companies could be this easy to work with…
As one who has been there, you may want to still check with a lawyer to make sure you are not signing away rights (yeah, I sound like a scare-tactic commercial) for future medical needs.
You may find out later on down the road that you may need physical therapy. I found out after the fact after my first rear-end collision (oh, their insurance company was soooooo nice) that I needed extensive PT - turns out I had jammed my wrist and arm into the steering wheel and had some pretty bad nerve damage. Almost ended up signing off on the medical bills, and that would have cost me several thousand dollars out of my own pocket. Good thing a friend who happened to be a lawyer looked over the papers they sent to me.
The insurance companies are nice until you sign the papers. Then it’s pbbbbbthhhhh to your future needs.
And quit feeling guilty - he’s the one who hit you. It it his responsibility to be aware and watch for the other driver (aren’t we all taught that in driver’s ed?). Unless of course you were a dumb-butt who cut him off and slammed on your brakes when you realized you could not make the light while it was orange (half yellow/half red). [That happened to me once- I ended up hitting him, but there were several witnesses who verified that he cut me off in that solid white line lane just before the traffic light - he got the ticket for reckless driving and had to pay for my car and medical expenses.]
Well, naturally the repair costs for the Durango would be higher - it has front end damage. That’s a LOT pricier than rear (unless it’s an original VW Bug or similar). Ditto for towing. If your trunk is caved in, your engine’s still fine. Cave in your engine, and you’re not going anywhere. I’m actually surprised the estimate is so low, especially if airbags deployed (I was in an accident where the airbags deployed - the passenger airbag hit the windshield with enough force that the policeman who investigated thought someone’s head had hit it instead. The two airbags, plus the windshield, added $2000 to the damage estimate.
Best wishes to you for a speedy recovery - both physically and auto-wise. Rental cars just aren’t as comfortable.
screech, thanks for continuing to check in; I appreciate it.
I don’t feel guilty at all, I just feel badly that he lost his job over the accident. If he were a jerk about the accident, I’d probably feel he deserved to get canned. I mean it’s not like he tried to hit me or hit me because he was doing something stupid. He just took his eyes off the road or misjudged speed and dististance or whatever. Yes it was his fault; yes his insurance company should pay for EVERYTHING; yes, I will make sure that they do.
Thanks also for the info on signing the P&S check. Unfortuantely, I’ve been through this thing before. I fully agree that I should not have to pay a dime for any damage (to me or the car) I also agree that I should be compensated for inconveniences caused by this (phone calls, getting rides, etc.) However, I’m just not the type of person who will squeeze the insurance company for all I can get. I’m young and I’ll heal. Most states have a 1 year clause with any insurance settlement. In MD, if I need PT or anything directly related to this accident I can claim it up to 1 year after the accident, regardless of settlement. Paid claims are separate from “loss of consortium”.
jadailey, I didn’t provide this information before… the reason the Durango had to be towed was that his right front bumper/fender was pushed in and was touching his tire. There was CERTAINLY no frame damage to his car. The higher bumper caused his car to be lifted upwards and over the top of my bumber thereby smashing it and the tail light assembly and the left rear fender. Recall that we were both approaching a red light. I was going 15 mph or so and he was doing a bit more 25-25 perhaps. Plus, we were going in the same direction so, with momentum and physics and all it wasn’t a very forceful crash. It’s just that the bumber covers on cars now are resin and the quarter panels on Saturns are resin also. This makes for mangled looking stuff. The cost of repairs will come mostly from replacement parts and high hourly labor rates, not from having to bend metal (like in the old days).
In fact, all, I took my car in to the body shop today for an estimate. On outward inspection, the guy estimated about $2000 to my car, which is (thank goodness) less than 80% of the value of the car. It isn’t totalled! (of course, when they remove parts they might find more damage…) My fear of being totalled was not from the extensive damage to the car, but due to the low value of the car (10 years old w/ 140,000 miles).
And I’ll get my rental car this evening- It took a while to get a 4 door (for the baby seat).
My lower back is sore (to be expected) but I’m gonna do the Epsom salts thing tonight. I didn’t bump my head or restrain the seat belt of anything. Nor did the airbag inflate.
Thanks again for checking in and for offering your caring advice.
I still love you.[/sub]
Today is exactly two weeks since my accident, and I’m still having a lot of trouble with my lower back and left shoulder. PLEASE, please get checked out right away. You just never know. And make sure you get x-rays, if you even think you might have hit the steering wheel, or just hard against your seatbelt. Do tell us you were wearing your seatbelt, right???
- Did I miss something about Pepsi?