I got into an accident 2 weeks ago and have been dealing with the same issues. For those who live in Washington DC, the beltway is one ugly biatch (Can I say that??).
Anyway, I was rammed by a boxtruck who cut in between a 18 wheeler tractor trailer and myself, then the 18 wheeler hit him and I hit a ford contour in front me. I drove a 1998 Nissan Sentra which is a wee little car and this is all while driving at highway speeds. Dealing with 4 insurances really sucked and drained me these past two weeks, but I'm finally seeing results.
Luckily, the ford contour in front of me told his insurance it wasn't my fault but that of the truck riding my tail behind me. It took me 1.5 weeks to even get in contact with everybody's insurances because the two trucks are company trucks and their agents work on some whacked out schedule.
My car only had liability so I couldn't get a rental through my OWN insurance. So after playing phone tag for over a week and listening to the two truck companies' insurances blame each other, they finally decided to split it 50/50. They gave me a rental for 4 days, but the problem is that they're not willing to pay for the protection policy/insurance that I would get through Enterprise. Since I don't have full coverage myself, I would have to get full covered insurance through them. I was told that's an additional $17.99 per day + 11.5% luxury tax. The trucks' insurances wouldn't cover it even though I think they should. I opted out of not renting because I don't make enough in a day to justify spending $20 on a rental car for who knew how long.
I talked to the lady yesterday and my car is a total loss and they're cutting me a check for $6K (which is even more than I thought I'd get for my 98 Sentra, muhaha
). I'm using that as part of my downpayment for my NEW 2005 Nissan Sentra I just picked up tonight since I need a car to get to work =p
As for the medical part. I got rearended so it's common to get whiplash. At the time of the accident, I didn't ask to be hauled away to a hospital since I was just confused and scared, but I felt neck pain, sinus like headaches and a pain down my right arm later that night. I went to the hospital a few days after, got diagnosed with whiplash and left with prescriptions for nice pills (I got leftover vicodin, anybody want?). The doctor said if I felt pain in a week still, I should go see a chiro.
The hospital expenses are being paid for by my insurance PIP (I'm not quite sure why the other company isn't paying?) and then the trucks' insurances will settle with me later rather than now incase I need to seek further treatment down the road. If my insurance is paying for the hospital bill, all I've got is the prescription drugs which cost like $6 (with my health insurance), so I doubt I'm going to get a check for just $6 later. I'm predicting a nicer sum.
I was advised to seek out a lawyer time and time again. It seems to be a common theme in America. Sue anybody and everybody. I chose against this only because a lawyer sucks up 30% of whatever you get...so unless you're suing for over 30% more than the costs you've incurred, don't waste your time. Only do it if you're going to win for sure or you could be out money in the end.
My friend has a friend in PA who was driving and a motorcycle came out of nowhere in front of him. The friend hit his brakes and stopped without hitting the biker, but he's claiming for whiplash. His lawyer tried to get $20K for him, but the friend is settling for $5K, I believe....and his car doesn't even have a scratch! So you never know anymore these days...
Here are pictures of my car if anybody's interested
(The circled thingy is a souvenir that the truck left for me embedded in my bumper)
Pic 1
Pic 2
In my opinion, they're going to take into consideration your "pain and suffering" and offer you a little more than your medical expenses, but don't think you're going to get rich off of this. Accidents happen and chances are that sometime in your life, you'll be involved in another....just be grateful if your case is handled quickly, efficiently and is overwith soon. Also be grateful it wasn't worse than what it was. You have your life, that's more than some others walk away with.
I thought about getting a lawyer and getting more money out of this (as everybody assured me that any lawyer would take up my case since it was clearly not my fault), but I'm glad I didn't. Things are moving quicker without a lawyer and I'm getting adequate compensation. Sure I'm a broke recent college grad, but had I not gotten the $6K, I wouldn't have been able to put down that much on a new car! They're going to let me keep my trashed car , I believe... so I'm going to sell it to anybody who wants it for the nice parts it still has
Anyway, I was rammed by a boxtruck who cut in between a 18 wheeler tractor trailer and myself, then the 18 wheeler hit him and I hit a ford contour in front me. I drove a 1998 Nissan Sentra which is a wee little car and this is all while driving at highway speeds. Dealing with 4 insurances really sucked and drained me these past two weeks, but I'm finally seeing results.
Luckily, the ford contour in front of me told his insurance it wasn't my fault but that of the truck riding my tail behind me. It took me 1.5 weeks to even get in contact with everybody's insurances because the two trucks are company trucks and their agents work on some whacked out schedule.
My car only had liability so I couldn't get a rental through my OWN insurance. So after playing phone tag for over a week and listening to the two truck companies' insurances blame each other, they finally decided to split it 50/50. They gave me a rental for 4 days, but the problem is that they're not willing to pay for the protection policy/insurance that I would get through Enterprise. Since I don't have full coverage myself, I would have to get full covered insurance through them. I was told that's an additional $17.99 per day + 11.5% luxury tax. The trucks' insurances wouldn't cover it even though I think they should. I opted out of not renting because I don't make enough in a day to justify spending $20 on a rental car for who knew how long.
I talked to the lady yesterday and my car is a total loss and they're cutting me a check for $6K (which is even more than I thought I'd get for my 98 Sentra, muhaha
). I'm using that as part of my downpayment for my NEW 2005 Nissan Sentra I just picked up tonight since I need a car to get to work =pAs for the medical part. I got rearended so it's common to get whiplash. At the time of the accident, I didn't ask to be hauled away to a hospital since I was just confused and scared, but I felt neck pain, sinus like headaches and a pain down my right arm later that night. I went to the hospital a few days after, got diagnosed with whiplash and left with prescriptions for nice pills (I got leftover vicodin, anybody want?
). The doctor said if I felt pain in a week still, I should go see a chiro. The hospital expenses are being paid for by my insurance PIP (I'm not quite sure why the other company isn't paying?) and then the trucks' insurances will settle with me later rather than now incase I need to seek further treatment down the road. If my insurance is paying for the hospital bill, all I've got is the prescription drugs which cost like $6 (with my health insurance), so I doubt I'm going to get a check for just $6 later. I'm predicting a nicer sum.
I was advised to seek out a lawyer time and time again. It seems to be a common theme in America. Sue anybody and everybody. I chose against this only because a lawyer sucks up 30% of whatever you get...so unless you're suing for over 30% more than the costs you've incurred, don't waste your time. Only do it if you're going to win for sure or you could be out money in the end.
My friend has a friend in PA who was driving and a motorcycle came out of nowhere in front of him. The friend hit his brakes and stopped without hitting the biker, but he's claiming for whiplash. His lawyer tried to get $20K for him, but the friend is settling for $5K, I believe....and his car doesn't even have a scratch! So you never know anymore these days...
Here are pictures of my car if anybody's interested
(The circled thingy is a souvenir that the truck left for me embedded in my bumper)
Pic 1
Pic 2
In my opinion, they're going to take into consideration your "pain and suffering" and offer you a little more than your medical expenses, but don't think you're going to get rich off of this. Accidents happen and chances are that sometime in your life, you'll be involved in another....just be grateful if your case is handled quickly, efficiently and is overwith soon. Also be grateful it wasn't worse than what it was. You have your life, that's more than some others walk away with.
I thought about getting a lawyer and getting more money out of this (as everybody assured me that any lawyer would take up my case since it was clearly not my fault), but I'm glad I didn't. Things are moving quicker without a lawyer and I'm getting adequate compensation. Sure I'm a broke recent college grad, but had I not gotten the $6K, I wouldn't have been able to put down that much on a new car! They're going to let me keep my trashed car , I believe... so I'm going to sell it to anybody who wants it for the nice parts it still has
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