Got to love those that sue.

[alkemyst]

There is a merge here that has constant accidents as it's sort of blind being on the back side of a hill. Basically if you have a clear shot you go and make sure you are out of the way. I was approaching someone that had been waiting through normally the safe time to make the merge (the adjacent traffic had a green left arrow so no one would be coming)...once I got behind him he took off fast got into the traffic lane and then stopped suddenly for no reason. I was looking to my left and saw there was no cars coming so I went only of find out he was stopped right in front of me in the traffic lane. No one was ticketed.

It was a older dude, his wife, and their teenage daughter. Almost immediately fire rescue and all ambulance companies were on the scene. Prior to this the driver was busy straightening out his tail pipe...as soon as the rescue got there it was almost like a movie "AHHH MY NECK, MY NECK"...his wife and daughter remained at the scene with the daughter pissed she was going to be late for something....

they drove away. He was on the SR20 crap and checking court records his wife and him had been declared indigent and were being sued by two rental companies....they were in dire straights. So bad that the month before my accident the driver was fined for no license and the court put him on payment plans of $30 a month and his first payment bounced.

Now I get a letter that all three ended up on an ambulance (the wife and daughter must have called once they got home), and all saw the same doctor to the tune of $17k each...all were declared between 5-9% disabled and each is on physical therapy...each also saw a few other doctors at $500-900 each. They all want to sue for $100k each (my policy limits are 300k).

It's pretty crazy how easy this is...since I have been in this I have heard from tons of others in the same kind of boat. Person just goes from a green light only to come to a skidding stop in the middle of an intersection.

Å

 

[FelixDeCat]

This is why I have 100/50/100. Back in 2005 I was in a 3 car accident when a guy driving on the shoulder left the shoulder into on comming traffic to drive around another car parked on that shoulder. He pulled out in front of me going 2 miles an hour and *I* got the ticket because I hit him from behind. He was from Africa, spoke little English and was living in his car. The lady parked on the side of the road spoke only Spanish. Luckily I was only going about 53 in the slow lane.

My car was totalled, the shoulder drivers car was damaged and the parked car was damaged. They both sued. My insurance company repaired their cars, paid them $5,000 each (even though the lawyers demanded 100k) and altogher it ran about $40,000.

All that for $80 a month. Not bad.

edit: My insurance adjuster said that the lawyers always send out a form letter demanding the policy limits. The insurance comapny sends back a form letter to detail their damages. The lawyer comes back with an offer. They settle. If your numbers are correct, Im guessing $15k, but thats just a guess.

 

[MovingTarget]

People are waaaaay too litigious in our society, esp. about car accidents. The smallest bump and they want to sue you out of house and home (or your insurance company...whatever) I believe in compensatory damages for the property damage and medical bills, but too many treat it like winning the lottery if you know what I mean...

 

[Gibson486]

When I got into my first accident, the woman actually took time to get her cell phone out of her purse to call her HUSBAND...not 911 or the police(I had to do that), her husband. After that she told the people that she could not move her kneck. She ended up suing me to 120K. Do not know what happened, but my insurance company took care of it and it never ended up on my policy.

 

[RKS]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
There is a merge here that has constant accidents as it's sort of blind being on the back side of a hill. Basically if you have a clear shot you go and make sure you are out of the way. ... I was looking to my left and saw there was no cars coming so I went only of find out he was stopped right in front of me in the traffic lane. ...
Å

I know you've made at least one other thread regarding this accident, how pissed you were and how would fight it, blah, blah, blah. You knew you were approaching a dangerous intersection and instead of making sure the car in front of you had fully cleared, you looked at oncoming traffic and rear-ended another car. I'm not sure about FL regs regarding citations if a cop doesn't witness an accident.

Florida being a pure comparative fault state, I'm sure if there is any way to mitigate fault and any subsequent damages award, your insurance company will point it out. With $17K in med bills, it's not too outlandish to ask for policy limits. It shouldn't even be your concern since your insurance is handling everything.

 

[rh71]

It's amazing people like this put their own lives on the line to get out of financial trouble. Oh, disgusting too. But yes, you are still at fault for not making sure there's nothing in your path before mashing the gas. What if there were pedestrians? There's that lesson if you haven't learned it.

 

[takeru]

Originally posted by: RKS

Originally posted by: alkemyst
There is a merge here that has constant accidents as it's sort of blind being on the back side of a hill. Basically if you have a clear shot you go and make sure you are out of the way. ... I was looking to my left and saw there was no cars coming so I went only of find out he was stopped right in front of me in the traffic lane. ...
Å

I know you've made at least one other thread regarding this accident, how pissed you were and how would fight it, blah, blah, blah. You knew you were approaching a dangerous intersection and instead of making sure the car in front of you had fully cleared, you looked at oncoming traffic and rear-ended another car. I'm not sure about FL regs regarding citations if a cop doesn't witness an accident.

Florida being a pure comparative fault state, I'm sure if there is any way to mitigate fault and any subsequent damages award, your insurance company will point it out. With $17K in med bills, it's not too outlandish to ask for policy limits. It shouldn't even be your concern since your insurance is handling everything.

if his rates go up do you still think its not his concern? i have been in a 4 car accident, with the initiator hitting me from behind and turning my car into a banana. total damage cost half the cost of the car. my insurance company called me up to tell me that the guy in front of me tried to sue me claiming i ran into him, then the car behind me ran into me causing me into him again. basically he said i hit him TWICE. :roll: not sure what happened after that, but i am lucky to have full coverage that time. turns out the car that hit me from behind had NO insurance AT ALL. and this is in NY. after that i have had 2 close calls also. makes me just want to install a car cam just in case.

 

[RKS]

if his rates go up do you still think its not his concern? i have been in a 4 car accident, with the initiator hitting me from behind and turning my car into a banana. total damage cost half the cost of the car. my insurance company called me up to tell me that the guy in front of me tried to sue me claiming i ran into him, then the car behind me ran into me causing me into him again. basically he said i hit him TWICE. :roll: not sure what happened after that, but i am lucky to have full coverage that time. turns out the car that hit me from behind had NO insurance AT ALL. and this is in NY. after that i have had 2 close calls also. makes me just want to install a car cam just in case.

1. His main concern should have been/should be paying better attention at dangerous intersections.

2. After he hits someone, there ain't much he can do. That's why you have insurance. Give them a statement about your version of events and let them do their work.

 

[biggestmuff]

I guess you don't have such good brakes after all!

 

[rgwalt]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
This is why I have 100/50/100. Back in 2005 I was in a 3 car accident when a guy driving on the shoulder left the shoulder into on comming traffic to drive around another car parked on that shoulder. He pulled out in front of me going 2 miles an hour and *I* got the ticket because I hit him from behind. He was from Africa, spoke little English and was living in his car. The lady parked on the side of the road spoke only Spanish. Luckily I was only going about 53 in the slow lane.

My car was totalled, the shoulder drivers car was damaged and the parked car was damaged. They both sued. My insurance company repaired their cars, paid them $5,000 each (even though the lawyers demanded 100k) and altogher it ran about $40,000.

All that for $80 a month. Not bad.

edit: My insurance adjuster said that the lawyers always send out a form letter demanding the policy limits. The insurance comapny sends back a form letter to detail their damages. The lawyer comes back with an offer. They settle. If your numbers are correct, Im guessing $15k, but thats just a guess.

It is this (and other) stories that have prompted me to increase my limits to 300/300 on auto, 300 on property, and then buy an umbrella policy to cover 300K to 1 million. Most of the time people will just sue to the policy limits. They generally have no basis for their claim against you and are using the legal system to their advantage. Insurance companies know it ends up being cheaper to pay some negotiated, reduced claim than to take a case to court.

The problem comes when someone is really and truly hurt because of something you did (or failed to do), or because of something that happened in your home or on your property. Judgements can and do go beyond policy limits when something is really, really wrong. Killing someone is pretty bad, but (at least financially) maiming someone to the point that they cannot work and need constant care the rest of their life is much, much worse. Even my 1 million umbrella won't protect me in this event.

 

[zzuupp]

:frown: they've got a pretty good scam going.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: RKS
I know you've made at least one other thread regarding this accident, how pissed you were and how would fight it, blah, blah, blah. You knew you were approaching a dangerous intersection and instead of making sure the car in front of you had fully cleared, you looked at oncoming traffic and rear-ended another car. I'm not sure about FL regs regarding citations if a cop doesn't witness an accident.

Florida being a pure comparative fault state, I'm sure if there is any way to mitigate fault and any subsequent damages award, your insurance company will point it out. With $17K in med bills, it's not too outlandish to ask for policy limits. It shouldn't even be your concern since your insurance is handling everything.

I stated in the topic this was an update...didn't say I would fight this ever, I don't really need to do anything which is part of having insurance.
It wasn't an intersection, it was a merge.

The car in front of me had cleared and then just decided to stop in a traffic lane.

Florida is no fault.

The oddity is with an accident that may have been at 10-20mph and ALL THREE passengers claiming disability along with all three not needing surgery yet each have a $15-17k bill from the same doctor is what's wierd.

My concern is warranted as who the fuck do you think pays ultimately for these people?

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: rh71
It's amazing people like this put their own lives on the line to get out of financial trouble. Oh, disgusting too. But yes, you are still at fault for not making sure there's nothing in your path before mashing the gas. What if there were pedestrians? There's that lesson if you haven't learned it.

Pedestrians wouldn't have magically appeared. I looked, saw my front was clear turned and looked then went. I did not expect someone to stop in the middle of the road for no reason.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: biggestmuff
I guess you don't have such good brakes after all!

I travelled about 10 feet if that, brakes were not a factor as there was no reaction time.

 

[Kelemvor]

Just another example of the wonderful Justice System in the good old U S of A. Why work to make a living when you can just sue people for no good reason.

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: Kelemvor
Just another example of the wonderful Justice System in the good old U S of A.

We should switch to Sharia Law.

You don't hear stories about silly lawsuits in Saudi Arabia or Iran, do you?

 

[Gibsons]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: RKS
I know you've made at least one other thread regarding this accident, how pissed you were and how would fight it, blah, blah, blah. You knew you were approaching a dangerous intersection and instead of making sure the car in front of you had fully cleared, you looked at oncoming traffic and rear-ended another car. I'm not sure about FL regs regarding citations if a cop doesn't witness an accident.

Florida being a pure comparative fault state, I'm sure if there is any way to mitigate fault and any subsequent damages award, your insurance company will point it out. With $17K in med bills, it's not too outlandish to ask for policy limits. It shouldn't even be your concern since your insurance is handling everything.

I stated in the topic this was an update...didn't say I would fight this ever, I don't really need to do anything which is part of having insurance.
It wasn't an intersection, it was a merge.

The car in front of me had cleared and then just decided to stop in a traffic lane.

Florida is no fault.

The oddity is with an accident that may have been at 10-20mph and ALL THREE passengers claiming disability along with all three not needing surgery yet each have a $15-17k bill from the same doctor is what's wierd.

My concern is warranted as who the fuck do you think pays ultimately for these people?

At 300K, your insurance company might decide it's worth taking to court. One piece of evidence that might be revealing is look at the medical bills and see if there's anything about their lawyers footing the bill. The bills will certainly be part of any evidence in the trial(s).

have they been to the chiropracter yet?

 

[Wuffsunie]

With the neck thing you described, and his straightening his taillight afterward, that just gives all the more reason to break out the cell phone camera and record that shit.

Though it would likely be a waste of time and the lawyers would just dismiss its existence.

 

[LikeLinus]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: rh71
It's amazing people like this put their own lives on the line to get out of financial trouble. Oh, disgusting too. But yes, you are still at fault for not making sure there's nothing in your path before mashing the gas. What if there were pedestrians? There's that lesson if you haven't learned it.

Pedestrians wouldn't have magically appeared. I looked, saw my front was clear turned and looked then went. I did not expect someone to stop in the middle of the road for no reason.

"Pedestrians wouldn't have magically appeared. "

Cars don't magically appear either. Learn to drive. I have no sympathy for someone who "expects" cars not to stop in the road. You are supposed to LOOK and drive with CAUTION. Then you want to whine to ATOT that they are trying to sue you without real cause. This is a one sided story and no one has any clue if they are really hurt. You are just EXPECTING them to be lying, which is the same reason you are in this mess.

If you were traveling between 10-20 miles per hour within 10 feet, you must have been accelerating hard and slammed into the back of them. If they were at a stop and you hit them accelerating that hard....no shit you could hurt someone.

 

[Hacp]

Personal responsibility. If you can't handle the car, take the bus.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: LikeLinus
"Pedestrians wouldn't have magically appeared. "

Cars don't magically appear either. Learn to drive. I have no sympathy for someone who "expects" cars not to stop in the road. You are supposed to LOOK and drive with CAUTION. Then you want to whine to ATOT that they are trying to sue you without real cause. This is a one sided story and no one has any clue if they are really hurt. You are just EXPECTING them to be lying, which is the same reason you are in this mess.

If you were traveling between 10-20 miles per hour within 10 feet, you must have been accelerating hard and slammed into the back of them. If they were at a stop and you hit them accelerating that hard....no shit you could hurt someone.

you are wrong about the situation, I also said at most 10-20mph...the merge is adjacent to a hill that you cannot see over. You get going when you have a clear shot. You saying merging into the freeway its just ok to stop for no reason in a traffic lane and expect no incident?

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Gibsons

have they been to the chiropracter yet?

not sure what the doctors 'are', I am going to talk to the insurance attorney monday to get the scoop. I know the chick has a site online and looks fine in it. Not much mention of her anguish....

 

[LikeLinus]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: LikeLinus
"Pedestrians wouldn't have magically appeared. "

Cars don't magically appear either. Learn to drive. I have no sympathy for someone who "expects" cars not to stop in the road. You are supposed to LOOK and drive with CAUTION. Then you want to whine to ATOT that they are trying to sue you without real cause. This is a one sided story and no one has any clue if they are really hurt. You are just EXPECTING them to be lying, which is the same reason you are in this mess.

If you were traveling between 10-20 miles per hour within 10 feet, you must have been accelerating hard and slammed into the back of them. If they were at a stop and you hit them accelerating that hard....no shit you could hurt someone.

you are wrong about the situation, I also said at most 10-20mph...the merge is adjacent to a hill that you cannot see over. You get going when you have a clear shot. You saying merging into the freeway its just ok to stop for no reason in a traffic lane and expect no incident?

I'm wrong about the situation? You said 10-20 MPH, yet you don't know your rate of speed. You also hit a car without looking infront of you. You said it was 10 feet infront of you.

Sounds like you don't know wtf you are doing and you hit someone. How about this, If the road is too dangerous to travel and you know this, find another route. I have this exact same problem coming home and I use another route.

You have NO idea why he stopped. You were looking a different direction and not seeing what was going on. That is the whole reason you are in this mess. Yes it's perfectly fine to have to stop on an on ramp if a car from the lane next to you merges over and you have to hit the brakes in order to not slam into another vehicle. There are situations that dictate that you have to STOP your vehicle. Maybe a deer runs out infront of you? An emergency vehicle puts on it's lights which you are required to stop for. Maybe a person walks out infront of you. That is why the law requires a reasonable following length (3 car or 3 second minimum) and ask that you so kindly pay attention to what the hell you are doing when driving. That way you can SEE what is happening and stop if needed.

You may want to go back to driving school.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: Kelemvor
Just another example of the wonderful Justice System in the good old U S of A. Why work to make a living when you can just sue people for no good reason.

What would you suggest then, as a replacement?
I'm sure SHARIA Law would settle everything in a modern ,civilised manner.:disgust:

 

[BUTCH1]

Dirtbags who probably knew that it's necessary to look at oncoming traffic to safely merge and stopped at the exact point to get rammed by someone and get the $$$ rolling in, why TF would anyone call the ambulance AFTER they get home?? I'm gonna guess OP drives a nice car and these slugs might have picked him out just for that reason. I HATE assholes that can't get/maintain a friggin job and spend their time trying to figure out ways to scam instead of work..