crash yesterday, surgery tomorrow
04-19-07 | 12:29 PM
#26
Accuracy is Speed
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
From: Huntington Beach, CA
Bikes: 2007 Bianchi 928 C2C w/ Ultegra compact
In the meantime use your insurance so you're fully treated but immediately call an attorney, let them sweat the details. They will work out the subrogation details with your insurance company so at worse you owe nothing; more importantly, someone is there for you to call and vent and take of things that you have no clue about.
The key is to hire a good P/I attorney - avoid the guys with their faces splashed in advertising.
The key is to hire a good P/I attorney - avoid the guys with their faces splashed in advertising.
04-19-07 | 01:05 PM
#27
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 19
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Bikes: Trek 1400
Surgery went very well according to the Dr. He said there was a lot of damage but he was able to get everything back into place. Gave me a shot of local in my arm so everything is pretty numb. The general anesthesia did not make me sick, in fact I just finished up lunch at home! My plans for the rest of today are going to be taking my Lortabs, playing on the internet, and watching the Tivo. Thanks for all of the replies!
04-19-07 | 01:09 PM
#28
Neat - w/ ice on the side
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,200
Likes: 0
From: Big Ring. Little Cog.
Bikes: 2005 Dahon Speed TR, 2006 Dahon Mu SL, 2000 GT XiZang, 1999ish Rock Lobster, 2007 Dean Animas CTI
Originally Posted by jiminim
Surgery went very well according to the Dr. He said there was a lot of damage but he was able to get everything back into place. Gave me a shot of local in my arm so everything is pretty numb. The general anesthesia did not make me sick, in fact I just finished up lunch at home! My plans for the rest of today are going to be taking my Lortabs, playing on the internet, and watching the Tivo. Thanks for all of the replies!
__________________
Current favorite bumper sticker: Wag more. Bark less.
Change you can believe in - Bigfoot Nessie 08
Current favorite bumper sticker: Wag more. Bark less.
Change you can believe in - Bigfoot Nessie 08
04-19-07 | 01:32 PM
#29
...addicted...
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 886
Likes: 58
From: East of the River, Washington DC
Bikes: 1985 Alpine, 2007 IRO Rob Roy, 1985 Ross Mt. Whitney, 1991 Diamondback Master TG
Originally Posted by Niles H.
Assuming that other people are on the same page, or have the same sort of awareness of what is happening, or the same sort of processing in the brain, is itself a hazard.
Sorry Jim, heal quickly, and stick with it through your upcoming insurance ordeal!
04-19-07 | 02:22 PM
#32
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,174
Likes: 0
From: Brownsville, TX
Bikes: Surly CC
Glad to hear things went well, under the conditions.
Get AFLAC man, I'm telling you. My AFLAC says that if I get into that situation they'll hand my wife a check for $1k at the ER just to get the ball rolling on deductibles, extra costs, repairs to my bike, etc.
Get AFLAC man, I'm telling you. My AFLAC says that if I get into that situation they'll hand my wife a check for $1k at the ER just to get the ball rolling on deductibles, extra costs, repairs to my bike, etc.
04-19-07 | 02:33 PM
#33
Recumbent Commuter
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: Mississippi
Bikes: Sun Bicycles EZ-Sport CX
Originally Posted by Santaria
Glad to hear things went well, under the conditions.
Get AFLAC man, I'm telling you. My AFLAC says that if I get into that situation they'll hand my wife a check for $1k at the ER just to get the ball rolling on deductibles, extra costs, repairs to my bike, etc.
Get AFLAC man, I'm telling you. My AFLAC says that if I get into that situation they'll hand my wife a check for $1k at the ER just to get the ball rolling on deductibles, extra costs, repairs to my bike, etc.
Jiminim, glad to hear that the surgery went well. Hope you are back on your bike soon!
Last edited by Traicovn; 04-19-07 at 02:42 PM.
04-20-07 | 06:24 AM
#34
BF's Level 12 Wizard
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,464
Likes: 52
From: Secret mobile lair
Bikes: Checkpoint
Originally Posted by Bill Abbey
Jiminim; Sorry about the accident but a lot of airheads have drivers licenses. We all have had "blonde" days.
I would NOT even think about the insurance crap until 2 or three days after ALL of the drugs are out of your system. That's right, even the special aspirin that they give you to take home. The insurance guys are going to want this settled soon, and off of their desks as cheaply as possible. They have bonusus and job evaluations based on this stuff. This is important to keep in mind.
Stategy: Keep good notes (dates, times and who said what) and take the helpful approach. After a couple of weeks where the guy tries to low ball you, THEN you contact the VP of claims in writing -return receipt requested -and make the point that his insurance company's well deserved reputation for quality is in jeapordy and you're sure that he doesn't want that to occur... that the guy working with you is really nice -but somewhere in between things are getting fouled up and since this is his company, he should know about it... I will guarentee that the claims adjuster will realize that it is not really HIS money, but it might be if he doesn't get this settled amicably. I have used this method several times and it has worked from Chysler to Great American Insurance. You are not looking to make a killing here, you just do not want to get killed.
From personal experience (lots): Besides the surgery, the rehab is the most important part of this and it will take more fortitude and energy than you would believe. At some point months later, you may begin to believe that you are lazy or tired for no good reason. Wrong. You are solid, it just takes lots of the body's energy to get the job done. (Nerves and tendons are really slow and a lot of them got stretch and torn and you will not know about them because they don't register)
Rehab costs both money AND time, and getting you back to minimum (65%) is not the same as getting you back to OK. This is not a pitch for you to demand lots of money, I am just telling you to not take it too lightly. BTW you may be inundated by attorney solicitations, use the family friend.
I would NOT even think about the insurance crap until 2 or three days after ALL of the drugs are out of your system. That's right, even the special aspirin that they give you to take home. The insurance guys are going to want this settled soon, and off of their desks as cheaply as possible. They have bonusus and job evaluations based on this stuff. This is important to keep in mind.
Stategy: Keep good notes (dates, times and who said what) and take the helpful approach. After a couple of weeks where the guy tries to low ball you, THEN you contact the VP of claims in writing -return receipt requested -and make the point that his insurance company's well deserved reputation for quality is in jeapordy and you're sure that he doesn't want that to occur... that the guy working with you is really nice -but somewhere in between things are getting fouled up and since this is his company, he should know about it... I will guarentee that the claims adjuster will realize that it is not really HIS money, but it might be if he doesn't get this settled amicably. I have used this method several times and it has worked from Chysler to Great American Insurance. You are not looking to make a killing here, you just do not want to get killed.
From personal experience (lots): Besides the surgery, the rehab is the most important part of this and it will take more fortitude and energy than you would believe. At some point months later, you may begin to believe that you are lazy or tired for no good reason. Wrong. You are solid, it just takes lots of the body's energy to get the job done. (Nerves and tendons are really slow and a lot of them got stretch and torn and you will not know about them because they don't register)
Rehab costs both money AND time, and getting you back to minimum (65%) is not the same as getting you back to OK. This is not a pitch for you to demand lots of money, I am just telling you to not take it too lightly. BTW you may be inundated by attorney solicitations, use the family friend.
__________________
Originally Posted by Bklyn
Obviously, the guy's like a 12th level white wizard or something. His mere presence is a danger to mortals.
04-20-07 | 07:39 AM
#35
domestique
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,005
Likes: 1
From: off the back
Get well soon.
I don't think you have a choice with the insurance. As soon as your medical insurance finds out it was a traffic accident, they'll want to get some money from her car insurance company. You'll probably need to talk to them directly about fixiing your bike and replacing your shredded clothes. I think the policeman should have written her a ticket. Maybe there was some question in his mind about how far she was ahead of you when she turned and if you could have reasonably been expected to stop in time. It's easier to deal with insurance companies if there was a ticket written. Otherwise fault becomes ambiguous.
Now for the learning (for me). Did the wrist damage happen because you reached out with your hand and tried to break your fall? I know with roller blade and snow board injuries, many wrists are damaged because of this. I wonder how we can learn to "tuck and roll" when falling off a bike instead of reaching out to the ground with the hand. In a panic situation, I don't see how I'll manage to resist the instinct to break the fall with my hand.
I don't think you have a choice with the insurance. As soon as your medical insurance finds out it was a traffic accident, they'll want to get some money from her car insurance company. You'll probably need to talk to them directly about fixiing your bike and replacing your shredded clothes. I think the policeman should have written her a ticket. Maybe there was some question in his mind about how far she was ahead of you when she turned and if you could have reasonably been expected to stop in time. It's easier to deal with insurance companies if there was a ticket written. Otherwise fault becomes ambiguous.
Now for the learning (for me). Did the wrist damage happen because you reached out with your hand and tried to break your fall? I know with roller blade and snow board injuries, many wrists are damaged because of this. I wonder how we can learn to "tuck and roll" when falling off a bike instead of reaching out to the ground with the hand. In a panic situation, I don't see how I'll manage to resist the instinct to break the fall with my hand.
04-20-07 | 07:53 AM
#36
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by squeakywheel
I wonder how we can learn to "tuck and roll" when falling off a bike instead of reaching out to the ground with the hand. In a panic situation, I don't see how I'll manage to resist the instinct to break the fall with my hand.
