Backstory:
Late Friday night while retuning home from work, my mother was hit by a drunk driver who fled the scene (empty beer cans were found in his car); his passenger was injured she hit the windsheild and was a bloody mess (literally) he removed her from the car and and made her hobble away as well.
He ran a red light and struck my mom's car in the rear at a high rate of speed, the entire rear of the car and back seat were just torn to shreds. Her car spun and nearly hit a pole... It's a miracle that she survived and a greater one that she was able to get out and walk with only some bruising and the normal aches, pains and swelling (Praise God). If she had had passengers, there would have been a death. If the timing had been just a slight bit different she could be dead. The police said she was a miracle. (I made an rough looking diagram, D = drunk and M = mom)

                                         _|   |_
                                         _    M ->_
                                          |  D|
                                             ^
She refused medical treatment at the scene, choosing to come home because she didn't want me to freak out if the police showed up at the door to tell me what happened... At the time our phone line was busy because I was online doing sweeps... Uhg! And she could not remember my cell number. (I feel so bad I could kick myself)

She called the insurance company Saturday morning and finally got to the ER to get checked out... Monday she gets her rental. She has missed work and the car is totaled to bits. It was an older car that needed to be replaced but $$$ has been real tight... she's afraid that she won't be able to afford a car... and is timid about dealing with insurance companies... Anyone who has had any experience with dealing with such things, your advice would be appreciated!

                                       

Im happy she is ok. I hate drunk drivers.      Did she have full coverage on her car? Did she still owe money on the car? Who is the ins co?.. All of these things make a difference. The ins co will make the decision if its total and then come up with a figure, if she has full coverage. If she owes money on the vehicle, they get paid first, and each ins co is different. some are really good, some are just awful.

Another thing you may have to deal with is that the "normal" aches pains and swelling may develop into something far more serious as time progresses.
http://www.injuryboard.com/help-center/articles/medical-issues-related-to-auto-accidents.aspx
Even moderate accidents can cause severe, long term pain from myofascial syndrome. This difficult to treat condition can develop because her muscles have torn due to the impact stress. It can end up being crippling, and develops over time...
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/myofascial-pain-syndrome/DS01042
So she may wish to pursue additional diagnostics beyond a simple trip to the ER. Hopefully the lawyer will advise her further. Please do not let her settle until it is clear what the full extent of her injuries will be!

  Thanks for all of your input!

 
 


- We're in Nevada
- Her insurance is w/State Farm
- Her car is older and was paid off about 4-5 years ago, but she had a very good insurance plan (way more than required) because of the crazy Vegas     drivers.blue book value: 3,600
- Since the car is in little bits and only the front end is identifiable as ever being a car, nearly torn in half, their is no doubt that it is totaled.
- The police ID'd the owner of the drunks car through the VIN, they said that he has insurance, no word if he has been found. We were told that she can contact his insurance, I thought her insurance would do that? We're trying to pick up the police report today and hoping to get more information. I hope his passenger made it to the hospital. There were several witnesses who made reports/statements and one couple brought her home.

Good idea about the insurance board and MADD.





Thanks for the info ping and notdeadyet,
Ya know I was in 2 accident in 1989, both head on and a week apart, I was a passenger in each accident... The first one hurt the second got me real bad and I was not discharged from doctors care until 14 months later. I was married at the time and the ex had handled everything, I was too 'out of it' to remember many of the details (it's all fuzzy), he got a lawyer for the second accident and we barely got my bills covered. That was in Louisiana. The first accident, a woman had a stroke, crossed lanes and hit us; the second an elderly man w/cataracts was driving himself to the hospital for cataract surgery... He said he never saw us. Uh-Doh!
Anywho, I was never the same after - so the myofascial syndrome is very interesting and I will look into it for both my mom and I.


:(  Ugh, what a nightmare!
Were you able to make a civil lawsuit agaist her for her illegal actions? Did she have priors? Is your hubby okay?

Thank you all again for your input and if you can think of anything else to be aware of, please share.