Whiplash?

[SweetErika]

I asked my husband about this, and I'm going to try to paraphrase:

First of all, did you move the vehicles after the crash? It's best if you don't, but that's not always feasible if you're at a busy intersection or on a busy interstate. My husband says that for future reference, you should keep a camera in your car so that if something like this happens again and you HAVE to move the car, you have a record of where the car was after the crash.

What were the weather conditions like? Were there any tire marks on the road? I would assume that the cop(s) who handled the crash would have checked for this, but you never know.

Frankly, my husband (and this is what HE would have done if he had handled your crash) was surprised that the other guy wasn't cited right then and there for an improper turn because it seems to be pretty clear that that's what happened. (Unless the other guy's feeding them a line of bullshit, which is possible.) I mentioned this earlier, but I'm going to repeat it: be sure to get a copy of the crash report.

For police officers who have experience in such things, it isn't all that difficult to determine who's at fault based on the damage done to the vehicle. My husband thought that the damage to your vehicle supported your story.

I would imagine that if your expenses mount, even without a citation, your insurance company will step in and do something. I don't blame you for being reluctant to sue, but I also think that you have every right to recoup your losses. This guy's a jackass who wasn't paying attention.

I hope that helps a bit. Your mileage may vary just because you're in a different state, but if you have any more questions for my husband, let me know.

for you both! That's a huge help, and puts my mind at ease. It doesn't sound like the officer was an accident guru, and I might have not made some citation-friendly choices, but did the best I could at the time. I am sure everything will come out in my favor one way or another with facts and the law on my side! Thanks again, you two!

 

[silverwhisper]

erika: if he's feeding the cops BS, i wouldn't rule out his tryiing to sue you. it's a case that would be laughed out of court, but he obviously isn't very smart and personal injury lawyers can be contemptible. don't be surprised if it happens.

on a personal note: i admire your non-litigious nature, erika. where i come from however, one always has to consider that possibility.

ed

 

[Cdog1997]

A half way decent attorney, even if you case is not great can recover some of the money you will have expended. It wont cost you any thing to try.

 

[SweetErika]

A half way decent attorney, even if you case is not great can recover some of the money you will have expended. It wont cost you any thing to try.

Thanks for the input, Cdog. I'm very fortunate to have a great insurance company that is paying my expenses (minus $1000 until they determine fault) and will go to bat for me, and an attorney friend. I dropped my car off this morning, and hopefully it'll be as good as new in 3-7 days. My only real concern is that my headache's out of control.