# My terrible awful very bad day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 19, 2013, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214 "2013-09-19T05:55:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/81 "2013-09-25T15:18:00Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > To late for this young lady, I contacted my attorney from the hospital and asked them if they had chased any good ambulances lately. 🙂 > BTW they normally argue cases in front either the court of appeals or the Ca Supreme Court and they spent 10+ years doing insurance company defense. > Yes I care enough to get the very best. If you feel you need an attorney, that’s your right. But blasting the big guns out of the gate won’t necessarily get you any more money than doing your own haggling with her insurance company. Unless you were severely injured, like fractures/sprains requiring surgery, you’re not likely to get more than a token offer for pain and suffering. Your lost wages should be covered as a matter of course. And attorneys tend to slow down the process quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/82 "2013-09-25T16:15:24Z")
I know you’re smarter than this but please don’t let yourself get vicitmized by the doctor/lawyer cabal. There are sharks on both sides of a claim. I gotta go. Good luck to you Rick. Get well soon. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/83 "2013-09-26T11:20:41Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > I know you’re smarter than this but please don’t let yourself get vicitmized by the doctor/lawyer cabal. There are sharks on both sides of a claim. > > I gotta go. Good luck to you Rick. Get well soon. I have only seen Dr. Nick at the hospital (Hi everybody!) and my GP who I’m going to have to go see again as the pain stiffness and swelling are all still there. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/84 "2013-09-26T15:53:19Z")
Yeah get involved with your GP who will coordinate your travels with other specialists. There is a lot of data that suggests you should not shrug off soft tissue damage for long term effects, especially at the speeds you describe (in another thread right now fibromyalgia has been linked to rear end collisions). Also a quick reminder to the masses to purchase a dash cam for liability protection. Decent ones are down to $50 these days. I have been hit 3x in my work truck since Christmas last year, twice the other driver tried to claim it was my fault. After forwarding the video of each incident to the insurance company not another word was heard… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/85 "2013-09-26T16:44:23Z")
The dash cam really is a good idea - I think I will go shopping for one. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/86 "2013-09-26T18:01:09Z")
It’s interesting that no major manufacturer has not come out with a good, affordable dash camera. Much of what is out there is junk. I strongly suggest Google searching dash cam reviews, then read the comments on units on Amazon before purchasing. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/87 "2013-09-27T11:09:26Z")
If I had a dash cam I’d be a YouTube sensation right now. I’ll look into one for the new car. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/88 "2013-09-27T19:17:39Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > Not necessarily from an insurance point of view. > > For instance, were you stopped too close to the car in front of you? ). There’s no such thing. And in fact, a gap doesn’t help safety wise, in fact a large gap can make things far worse. (You can easily go into oncoming traffic) Yes, Rick, you weren’t at fault. You were 100% right to hire a good attorney. The other guys insurance co is going to try and scam you. Lowball offer of damages, nothing for pain & suffering, , etc. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/89 "2013-09-27T20:03:15Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The other guys insurance co is going to try and scam you. Lowball offer of damages, nothing for pain & suffering, , etc. You forgot to mention how he’ll wake up in an ice bath with a missing kidney, how they’ll fill his car with spiders, and how they’ll slip metal shavings in his underwear drawer while he’s out. Because you know, there’s [no deterrent](http://www.insurance.ca.gov/0100-consumers/fair-claims.cfm) [for insurance](http://www.insurance.ca.gov/0100-consumers/fair-claims.cfm#settlements) [companies](http://www.naic.org/store/free/MDL-900.pdf) to screw everyone over at every possible turn, and consumers have [no recourse at all](http://www.insurance.ca.gov/contact-us/0200-file-complaint/) if they are treated unfairly. And car insurance isn’t at all a competetive, customer service-driven market. Nice job working insulting, divisive, AND misleading into the same sentence there, **DrDeth**. ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/90 "2013-09-27T20:33:29Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > That was a comment that if they had come over and inquired about my condition, and wished me well, it would go a long damn way toward me feeling charitable about the driver that hit me. > Instead she was too busy being upset about not finishing her text or whatever she was doing. I’ve been in three accidents. (One was my fault.) In every case, once I established that I was not in need of medical attention, I immediately got out of my car and checked on the people in the other car. I would think that would just be common decency. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/91 "2013-09-27T21:54:10Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > And car insurance isn’t at all a competetive, customer service-driven market. > > Nice job working insulting, divisive, AND misleading into the same sentence there, **DrDeth**. Yesbut- _Rick isn’t their customer_. The bimbo who hit him is. Thanks, I tried, altho I object to the 'misleading" part. Truth hurts. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/92 "2013-09-27T22:22:29Z")
You probably know this already, **Rick** , but don’t expect the case to be resolved quickly. My brother-in-law finally won his settlement from a similar collision that left his back messed-up about 12 years ago - it took about 11 years to get a settlement. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/93 "2013-10-12T00:38:29Z")
I just picked up the police report. This is a classic. I post when I get home. ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/94 "2013-10-12T02:11:13Z")
Update please, don’t keep us in suspense. I thought you already had the police report that was how you found out the asshole was female ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/95 "2013-10-12T03:30:57Z")
> [@Reepicheep](#): > > Update please, don’t keep us in suspense. > > I thought you already had the police report that was how you found out the asshole was female I had the cover page that listed the driver’s names, and insurance company information. Today I picked up the entire report (12 pages) The girl that hit me: [ul] [li]Was talking on a cellphone[/li][li]Doesn’t have a driver’s license, just a learner’s permit, and the other adult was not a licensed driver. (cited for this by CHP)[/li][li]Was turned around backwards to check on her baby in the back seat[/li][li]Never hit the brake[/li][li]Was cited for unsafe speed by the CHP[/li][/ul] So we don’t have the daily double, we don’t have a trifecta, or a quadfecta, ladies and gentlemen we have a **pentafecta!** Allow me to quote from the report > [@California Highway Patrol](#): > > Party #1 related in essence that she was traveling N/B on I5 approaching the Garfield offramp in the #1 lane @ approx 65 MPH. P1 briefly turned towards the back to attend to her child seated in the back seat. When P1 faced forward she felt an impact and noticed that V1 airbags had deployed. P1 did not have time to apply the brakes prior to the collision. P1 advised me she does not know if she struck the rear of V2 (me) I am going to nominate this officer for the understatement of the year for his “and noticed V1 airbags had deployed” line. That was priceless. Also there are four cars in the accident. You were driving one. One was almost untouched, 1 was destroyed, and one with moderate damage, and our rocket scientist could not figure out who she hit? Quick somebody call Mensa. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/96 "2013-10-12T04:00:28Z")
One of those people. I swear, if I become Emperor of the World, every person on Earth will undergo random tests at undisclosed times. The people who throw up their hands and go “Well I don’t know!” over stupid shit will be executed on the spot. “Did you hit this vehicle (that her vehicle has very obviously plowed into)?” “I don’t know!!!” _BANG_ ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/97 "2013-10-12T04:58:22Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > I had the cover page that listed the driver’s names, and insurance company information. Today I picked up the entire report (12 pages) > The girl that hit me: > [ul] > [li]Was talking on a cellphone[/li][li]Doesn’t have a driver’s license, just a learner’s permit, and the other adult was not a licensed driver. (cited for this by CHP)[/li][li]Was turned around backwards to check on her baby in the back seat[/li][li]Never hit the brake[/li][li]Was cited for unsafe speed by the CHP[/li][/ul] > So we don’t have the daily double, we don’t have a trifecta, or a quadfecta, ladies and gentlemen we have a **pentafecta!** > Allow me to quote from the report > > I am going to nominate this officer for the understatement of the year for his “and noticed V1 airbags had deployed” line. That was priceless. > > Also there are four cars in the accident. You were driving one. One was almost untouched, 1 was destroyed, and one with moderate damage, and our rocket scientist could not figure out who she hit? Quick somebody call Mensa. I missed this when it first happened as I was driving cross country (unfortunately, not in our Volvo - they just don’t make big enough vehicles), so I’ll belatedly say I’m glad you are more or less OK. I couldn’t see the photos of the car, but the description sounds awful. I’ve had to start driving a Transit, for the more room and because the Volvo has over 250,000 miles on it and has become untrustworthy to drive to outer bumfuk, but I didn’t trade it in because even untrustworthy, they are damn good cars. So the husband drives it to work and may it protect him as well as yours did! And yeah, “and noticed V1 airbags had deployed” is priceless. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/98 "2013-10-12T05:18:49Z")
I hope she never does get a license. That poor kid. I often have non-driving adults as passengers. There really is a difference when, as the driver, the person next to you is trained to be observant and vigilant and has at least had a license at some point in his/her life. I’m always happier when my front-seat passenger is (or at least was) also a driver. The non-drivers I have in the front with me are just not helpful, and almost distracting sometimes due to their oblivion. I suppose someone with kids gets used to it. My point with the above paragraph, is if numbnuts had a licensed passenger like she was supposed to, the accident likely wouldn’t have happened. Instead, she has two distractions in the car with her. What an ass. I hope she gets the book thrown at her. Maybe should throw the baby at her, too. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/99 "2013-10-12T05:51:19Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > I had the cover page that listed the driver’s names, and insurance company information. Today I picked up the entire report (12 pages) > The girl that hit me: > [ul] > [li]Was talking on a cellphone[/li][li]Doesn’t have a driver’s license, just a learner’s permit, and the other adult was not a licensed driver. (cited for this by CHP)[/li][li]Was turned around backwards to check on her baby in the back seat[/li][li]Never hit the brake[/li][li]Was cited for unsafe speed by the CHP[/li][/ul]\ That makes me so irritated. She probably had a “Baby On Board” sticker on her car, too, indicating that everyone but HER should drive more carefully around her precious cargo. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214/100 "2013-10-12T11:22:03Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > I had the cover page that listed the driver’s names, and insurance company information. Today I picked up the entire report (12 pages) > The girl that hit me: > [ul] > [li]Was talking on a cellphone[/li][li]Doesn’t have a driver’s license, just a learner’s permit, and the other adult was not a licensed driver. (cited for this by CHP)[/li][li]Was turned around backwards to check on her baby in the back seat[/li][/ul] > Allow me to quote from the report > > > [@](#): > > > > ``` > > Originally Posted by **California Highway Patrol** > > Party #1 related in essence that she was traveling N/B on I5 approaching the Garfield offramp in the #1 lane @ approx 65 MPH. P1 briefly turned towards the back to attend to her child seated in the back seat. When P1 faced forward she felt an impact and noticed that V1 airbags had deployed. P1 did not have time to apply the brakes prior to the collision. P1 advised me she does not know if she struck the rear of V2 (me) > > > > ``` Hm, another adult in the car. You think perhaps this other adult could have checked the sprog, letting the driver maintain her attention on the road in front of her and ongoing traffic conditions and perhaps not have been illegally talking on her cell phone? :dubious: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-terrible-awful-very-bad-day/669214.md?page=6)