Help! In uncharted territory after son in serious rear end collision

[cjw6208071993]

On Sunday March 21st 2021 my son was rear ended by a tow truck. A lady was stopped waiting to turn into her driveway , a car behind her stopped and my son behind her stopped unfortunately, the tow truck behind my son did not stop. Witnesses in the car behind the tow truck says the tow truck never slowed down. The tow truck attempted to go into the on coming traffic labe , but did not have time to not hit him.
All air bags deployed and he was transported to the hospital via ambulance to be checked out. The tow truck driver was given a ticket for following to closely.
Our questions are
1. Is a lawyer necessary and at what point should we consider retaining a lawyer?
2. What should we expect from the tow truck company' s insurance company?
3. How does this process work ?

 

[pete6032]

ATOT, the best place for free legal advice on the internet.

 

[RLGL]

1. Is a lawyer necessary and at what point should we consider retaining a lawyer?

Yes

2. What should we expect from the tow truck company' s insurance company?

nothing

3. How does this process work ?

The lawyer can explain, rules are different in each state.

 

[MtnMan]

In a couple of days law firms will be filling your mailbox with offers to represent you or your son. It's not clear if he lives with you, his age, or who the car is registered to.

The insurance company will attempt to get you or your son to say that he is not injured, or suffering any lasting effects, won't need further care or treatment, etc. Be very fucking careful what you, or he says on the phone.

That's a total, so there is a fair offer on the vehicle, plus a rental. And once they settle on the vehicle, rental vehicles stop. Grandson just went through that, as it took a while to find a quality replacement vehicle that suited him. We actually loaned him a car for a while.

There are also the medical costs, ambulance, ER, and whatever follows.

 

[Torn Mind]

You will likely need a lawyer. The other party's insurance company will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to get your son to talk and get even the slightest inch to reduce a payout.

When shopping for a lawyer, it can be quite the difficult search as there are two general types. The ones who will go the extra mile for you and "settlement mills" who are there only to get the most in the quickest time possible and not solely get the most.

Don't go coughing out recorded statements or prematurely stating you are okay.

 

[UsandThem]

Better call Saul!

 

[Iron Woode]

You will need a good attorney, I recommend:

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Your son's insurance company is the only people he should speak to - DO NOT SPEAK TO THE TOW TRUCK DRIVERS INSURANCE COMPANY. They can and will advocate for your son to recieve a fair pay-out - however as this was a commercial vehicle that hit your son, I would advocate for a personal injury attorney. Expect them to take 50% of the settlement for their hard work.

 

[Torn Mind]

Your son's insurance company is the only people he should speak to - DO NOT SPEAK TO THE TOW TRUCK DRIVERS INSURANCE COMPANY. They can and will advocate for your son to recieve a fair pay-out - however as this was a commercial vehicle that hit your son, I would advocate for a personal injury attorney. Expect them to take 50% of the settlement for their hard work.

Where I'm at, it's 1/3 each to the lawyers, medical pros, and the victim.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Damn, not too many of those Saab 9-3s left on the roads. Like a WRX, only with a nicer interior. Hope your son is healing/recovered soon!

Yea, as others have said, talk to YOUR SONS insurance, dont talk to the drivers insurance.
Get a lawyer, even if he doesn't feel like he has lots of injuries now, a hit like that may cause spine injuries that doctors dont see right away. (hopefully hes had lots of Xrays and doctors to review them)

 

[dank69]

IANAL. That said, get a lawyer. Follow me for these and other life hacks.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Damn, not too many of those Saab 9-3s left on the roads. Like a WRX, only with a nicer interior. Hope your son is healing/recovered soon!

Your are confusing the Saab 9-2X which is part Saab with the 9-3 which is all Saab.
The 9-2X is a Impreza, the 9-2X Aero is a WRX Clone.

The Saab 9-3 sat on the GM Epsilon platform and the OP's sons car is a 2008+ model year.

 

[Captante]

I have seven (7) words of advice for you ... ignore @ your peril.

(1-3) LAWYER. UP. STAT.

(4-7) SHUT. THE. FVCK. UP.

You can thank me later.

 

[Captante]

Your are confusing the Saab 9-2X which is part Saab with the 9-3 which is all Saab.
The 9-2X is a Impreza, the 9-2X Aero is a WRX Clone.

The Saab 9-3 sat on the GM Epsilon platform and the OP's sons car is a 2008+ model year.

If I'm not mistaken the final 9-3 was also the LAST real SAAB car.

*(SAABaru's and SAABerized Chevy Blazers/Malibu's don't count!)


Crazy thing is that a lot of why SAAB is now gone is the result of making their cars TOO good!

The Subaru-SAAB's in particular were tweaked by SAAB engineer's to the point where all the profit was "improved" out of the equation thus defeating any cost-savings selling somebody else's design.

Folks are too quick to criticize profit being job #1 for a company ... tough to stay in business for long if you fail to focus on it!

 

[Dr. Detroit]

If I'm not mistaken the final 9-3 was also the LAST real SAAB car.

*(SAABaru's and SAABerized Chevy Blazers/Malibu's don't count!)

You are mistaken. If you consider that GM bought 100% of Saab in 2000 - the OG 9-3 and 9-5 were last real Saab's.
The New Generation (NG) 9-5 appeared in 2010 which was based off the GM Epsilon II platform.
The 9-4X also appeared in 2011 and was based off the Cadillac SRX and ~800 were sold in the US before Saab shut down.
There also was a 9-3X wagon that got the Outback treatment in 2011/12.

 

[Captante]

You are mistaken. If you consider that GM bought 100% of Saab in 2000 - the OG 9-3 and 9-5 were last real Saab's.
The New Generation (NG) 9-5 appeared in 2010 which was based off the GM Epsilon II platform.
The 9-4X also appeared in 2011 and was based off the Cadillac SRX and ~800 were sold in the US before Saab shut down.
There also was a 9-3X wagon that got the Outback treatment in 2011/12.

Well if you want to get picky about it GM engineers played a large role in the design of the SAAB 9000 (along with Fiat lol) although it was built completely by SAAB.

THAT would make the 900-series the last "real" SAAB.

SAAB 9000 Wiki

(btw I always preferred old Volvo's personally but I've owned 2 SAAB's)