Got rear-ended on the freeway...

[Patrick46]

Did you get the license plate number????

 

[Cammalu]

That sucks Bitty! I had a lot of stuff stolen from a car once while traveling and know the awful feeling of being violated. A lack of peace of mind can do much damage to the psyche. In time the bad feelings will lesson but I don't think they ever really go away.

 

[ZoNiE]

Run of bad luck, I'd say.

Just one comment regarding the original post about the accident, if not already posted. (I didn't read all 5 pages) If you slowed by just taking your foot off the gas, and didn't brake, you gave no indication to the driver behind you that you were slowing. Just a quick bit of inattention on the other drivers part could cause the accident. Taping your brake pedal may have prevented this.

Lots of manual transmission drivers do this. I was guilty of it too.

Something to consider...

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I'm tired and my world feels so unsafe. How do I make these things stop happening?

 It just really sucks.

 

[ggwoman]

Gosh Bitty, maybe it's time to move somewhere else. :huh:  I am soooo sorry to hear of this on top of everything else and feel helpless because I can't help in any tangible way.  JAnd, hon, the world is an unsafe place. All we can do is roll with it and pick up the pieces and carry on. Put on that stiff upper lip. But, there sure seems to be more ridiculosity now than ever I remember in my lifetime. Ever since the war and economic crash especially, it seems so many people have forgotten themselves. There is less faith in ourselves as a species, the Universe and our place in it, our relationship to ourselves and each other and it displays as less humane ways of living, thinking and being. I wish I had some answers, but the world today is a different place. Maybe technology is at fault and is causing these schisms in human nature to increase, I don't know. That's why I am so glad to have found you all. You're real, human, decent, helpful and kind. The Tribe. A part of Nature still.

 

[SoulRaven]

It's now been roundabouts 2.5 weeks after the accident and we aren't quite feeling the uptick yet, but working on it.

The driver who hit us wasn't actually insured, as it turns out.

This lawyer might not be a good fit for us. In the process of getting a second opinion and trying to sort that out.

No word yet on whether my bf's van is a total loss or repairable. No rental coverage. Yesterday he officially lost his job due to transportation issues, though a lot more was going on than that--work would not abide by the doctor's note to let him sit down on the job, and were even disallowing his usual breaks. Yes, we're aware that's illegal but there are too many battles to fight. They played stupid games telling him he was being terminated but then still keeping him on. It was really ridiculous, but ended with the conclusion that catching a ride here and there was preventing reliability so just rolling with that.

I'm still unable to drive due to my sprained neck and collar restricting movement. My doctor says it'll be at least another week. My mental health issues have gone through the roof; it has never been this bad before in my life as it has been the past week. Some anxiety attacks have me screaming/sobbing in terror for hours on end, and have occurred several days in a row. Very difficult to go through and hard on anyone around as well, usually @DarthVixen. I've been pulling out all the stops to get help for myself, calling every helpline and speaking with every professional I can. After a full week of zero (and I do mean ZERO) help I have resorted to focusing on self-medicating just so I can have halfway functionality again. Surprisingly, I discovered I have the support of both my PCP and therapist in this. I don't think people realize how difficult it is to get mental health treatment these days. I might get to see a psychiatrist in a few months.

Yesterday I found out my awesome therapist is leaving for a better job and my insurance won't cover seeing them anymore.

Due to all the phone calls, I've used up all my allotted phone minutes before half the month is over. I'm now focusing on switching to a paid plan because as awesome as the free government phone system is, it cannot accommodate routinely needing to spend 300 minutes in 2 weeks on essential calls regarding medical matters. If I could supplement with a Skype subscription or other systems I'd be golden, but that's not permitted and has stiff punishments associated with it.

But, some good stuff: I got a replacement laptop that's lighter and nicer, purchased used from eBay with no problems! Plus, after 2.5 weeks of spending nearly every minute (waking AND sleeping) together my boyfriend and I haven't killed each other yet and even reckon we're still in love. That's gotta count for something in this ridiculously messed up world.

 

[SoulRaven]

Our "lawyer" actually isn't a lawyer, as it turns out.

This means we've gone all this time without any legal advice whatsoever. At least it was on consignment, so we haven't lost any money over it.

We found him through referral by family and friends--his dad is a well known lawyer and @DarthVixen's mom and had him represent her in an accident injury case several years ago. His dad told her when he called that he's mostly retired these days but his son is pretty good and we should go with him instead. @DarthVixen had a friend and two cousins who had experience with the son representing them, all whom referred to him as a lawyer and gave him high reviews when we inquired.

So we did our homework and it still happens.

Just like you can drive safely and do everything right to prevent and accident and it can still happen.


It was a chance meeting with the receptionist that tipped us off. "Oh, him? He's just a paralegal." @DarthVixen and I just about died.

He didn't even have a business card at the law firm, even though all the other paralegals working there had one. Upon first meeting (at a different location) I asked for a business card and he went through a whole act of how he forgot to bring them, can't believe he forgot, wait maybe he has one in his wallet, he usually keeps one there...nope, I guess not today.

Googling his (extremely unique and lengthy) name plus the word "attorney" or "legal" yields nothing.

We had to wait until today to call the Washington State Bar Association, who officially confirmed that the name isn't listed as someone licensed to practice law. His dad is, though.

The papers we signed were with the firm his dad founded, rather than in his name, but it's been nearly 3 weeks and we have yet to speak with any lawyer there, or for it to be suggested that we consult with a lawyer there. The receptionist couldn't even tell me which lawyer was assigned our case.

Obviously we need to find another lawyer. Still a bit shocked over the whole thing.

...to add to the chaos, right before driving to the firm and discovering this, a lockdown was place on the neighborhood due to two armed burglars on the loose in broad daylight literally a block away from my bf's family's place where we were staying.

And, we finally heard back from the insurance company: the minivan is officially a total loss.

 

[cyndi]

ARGH!!! You're building some serious amounts of character, Bitty!!!