Just got hit head on ! Vehicle totalled

[Damien Jones]

Sorry to hear about your accident...

This sucks, I hope you get better soon. If you like reading PM me, I have a great book I can send/recommend.

D

 

[SoftHandsAnne]

*hugs*

Nothing much to add to what was said (I agree wholeheartedly... been there too) other than you're going to be HELLA sore for the next few weeks. Documenting things will be the last thing on your mind and the last thing you want to do. See if a friend or family member can get/buy/lend you a tape recorder so that all you have to do is talk because when you're that hurt (not just the breaks, the soft tissue damage is what will get you), sometimes even sitting upright is a challenge: never mind sitting upright, concentrating and writing/typing thoughts.

Then all you have to do is write the dates on the tape, and if need be, have it transcribed.

HTH... sending you healing mojo.
Anne

 

[DJLAW]

Q'Miler,

i don't have any expertise here but knowing that ICBC only acts in their own best interests.

those injuries are gonna fuck up the upcoming race season aren't they? im sorry to hear it man.

wishing you the best of luck and a speedy recovery.

stupid "N" drivers. how many times have we all been almost hit by them?

 

[Quarter Mile'r]

Thank you all !!

Thank you to all you most awesome people in Perbland, just another reason
why I love this board so much. You guys and gals are special indeed!

After reading your replies and talking with many friends and family members
I DEFINATELY WILL BE SEEKING LEGAL COUNSEL !
An Autoplan agent friend of mine who also sponsors Mission Raceway Park
has an injury and Icbc specialist lawyer who is well known by ICBC and HATED. Like Clint Eastwood said, go ahead.....make my day !!

ICBC is gonna have there day made for sure.
Cuz with those pricks I know there agenda from my last experience on
getting a vehicle fixed after it was hit and runned.
They ain't gonna piss down my back and tell me it's raining, I'll leave
that up to the lawyers with this one.

I'm a little woozy at the moment with some demerals.
Tomorrow I know is gonna suck the shit out of dead rats ass no doubt.

The girl that hit me turns out is 100% at fault so this should help make the
case easier but in saying so I am taking very seriously your tips on
documenting everything to how I feel, where I have to go, what medicine
I gotta take.........everthing!

I thank my lucky stars that I'm still alive to able to type this, it makes me
feel fortunate as the other alternatives of a worse fate would be horrible.
Can't remember who said it but thank you for the idea on getting the police
report I will be seeing them tomorrow too.

Right now this is gonna sound stupid but the vehicle I lost was a 88 dodge
Dakota pick up 4whl drive V6 Best god damn vehicle I ever owned it owed
me NOTHING ! It just turned 300,000 clicks and change still past air care
with a breeze and after owning it for 16 years I've replaced the clutch the
alternator, water pump, exhaust and brakes........that's it! Oh yah and the
battery twice.
On one other note I'm sure glad it wasn't a sunny day and I was taking the
ground pounder out for a cruze..............there would have been a killing
today and then I would have really needed a good lawyer!

I will finish with thanking you all so much again for your kind thoughts and
advice I will be taking that advice to heart.......Thank you all again!

And a special thank you to you ladies who replied whom I've never even met yet! Thank you sweethearts, the ladies of Perb are the best bar none!

So I obviously won't be posting any reviews for the next while,
till I feel better that is, that might be a relief to some of you!
From your resident wounded drag racer,
Down but not out !

Oh yah, Vanman......make that a shot of good single malt (Irish if possible) and an ice cold Becks at the Perbian campfire would ya ! Will miss seeing you guys at the next PA meet.

.............QM'r

 

[Quarter Mile'r]

Hmmm, I wonder if a good lawyer can get me several R/T massage sessions
covered by ICBC !

FS is definately out right now............


.............QM'r

 

[LonelyGhost]

got here a bit late, but will add my best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery!

and who knows, maybe you will bag a nurse while laid up! there are some cuties out there.

and yes, definitely, without a doubt or moment's hesitation get a GOOD lawyer, with a good track record and document everything and sign NOTHING, say NOTHING and do NOTHING that your lawyer hasn't ok'd in triplicate.

 

[Quarter Mile'r]

don't stress about the money dude. yes get a lawyer, but let's celebrate the fact that you walked away alive!

^^ breaking that is fucking scary!!

Thanks Muff, I'm not a religious person but damn if I didn't say a prayer
of thanks after I got to walk outta the hospital.

I must have one helluva gaurdian angel though!

Yah i thought I hit the steering wheel but it turns out it was the seat
belt that held me in check but the force of it caused my body weight
against the seat belt to crack my sternum.
Christ only knows what could have happened if I wasn't wearing one!
Friggin scary thought !

I kinda wondered after the accident cuz I thought......if I hit the
wheel my face would have been all mashed in.
Fortunately the seat belt kept me from eating glass or whatever else.


............QM'r

 

[Ironhead]

Good luck too you.

And good health. Soory to hear of your accident. I was in a bad one about 15 years ago that I walked away from with minor injuries.
I hope you recover quick. We will all miss you.
Just think, now you can stay home a while and watch daytime TV. Ha HA HA
Put your feet up and get better.
You should keep us posted as to what happens it will be a good lesson for all of us.
As long as you can still lift a beer and get a hard on things are not too bad right!!!!

get better. Sock it to ICBC!!!

 

[smackyo]

hope you see better days soon dude.

as for icbc, say nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nothing to them at all. i can't stress this enough. they will use tricks to try to get you to say that you are feeling good and shit like that and use it against you.

what everyone else said, get a lawyer quickly and only correspond to icbc through your lawyer. there are some out there that don't collect a dime til you get paid and only if you get paid. look that shit up.

 

[gravitas]

QM,

Again, glad you're alive! Don't sweat the loss of your truck.....consider it's last nobel act saving your life

I never thought I'd shill for a lawyer (esp a personal injury one) but I used this firm and was very happy with how they managed my case. Good communication, fee's weren't over the top, easy to deal with, etc.

http://www.stephensandholman.com/

 

[Marvin]

Wow, sorry to hear about your accident QM.

Make sure that you tell ICBC you want your Part 7 benefits to start immediately.

Confer with your lawyer, but ICBC has set internal guidelines for payouts. Unless you have a head injury, your quantum assessment will likely fall between $20,000 - $40,000. If you have time, go to the courthouse library and do a search on quantum with injuries similar to yours which occured to people in your age range and gender - that should give you an idea what your settlement will likely be.

 

[Cock Throppled]

Tough break (no pun intended) QM. So much for the "N" system improving driving. Hopefully you'll get a good settlement for your injuries, because ICBC will surely say the old truck is worth next to nothing.

 

[vancouverman]

If you have time, go to the courthouse library and do a search on quantum with injuries similar to yours which occured to people in your age range and gender - that should give you an idea what your settlement will likely be.

who nowdays GOES anywhere farther then your computer

http://www.bccls.bc.ca/cms/index.cfm?group_ID=2663

 

[Marvin]

who nowdays GOES anywhere farther then your computer

http://www.bccls.bc.ca/cms/index.cfm?group_ID=2663

Yeah OK, that works too but have you seen the students and junior lawyers researching at the library?

 

[vancouverman]

Yeah OK, that works too but have you seen the students and junior lawyers researching at the library?

you are one sick puppy

 

[Maury Beniowski]

Like everyone said: Seek the services of an attorney, and not just any old "Yes, I do ICBC claims" greenhorn, but one who has a track record with "personal injury claims". The more experience (greyhair), the better. Ask up front for their past case loads. When ICBC sees your "experienced" attorney walk into the meeting room, they will be much more cooperative if yours is one they are familiar with, and knows them inside out. Remember this rule of thumb: an inexperienced attorney eventually has to seek advice from an experienced one if he gets in over his head. There's nothing worse than hiring one that is just coming up the ladder. His fee will include his learning experience, and that's the last thing you want part of your settlement to pay for. Expect to lay down a $2000-$3000 retainer up front, and hourly rates at $200/hour on the low side.

 

[Up_My_Kilt]

Hire a Lawyer

Hire a lawyer, I suggest you check out the guys below ..I got this from the GS. A friend got smashed by someone and he hired Tony Vecchio all the bills and the head aches went to the Lawyer …and my friend just concentrated on getting better

MV ACCIDENT LAWYER
"Hittum, Findem & Suem, Barristers."
1. Tony Vecchio
2. Daniel Harlos (tie)
2. Noreen Cullen (tie)
2. Pavel Dosanjh (tie)

http://www.straight.com/content.cfm?id=13004

 

[necko]

goodluck

I'm on my 3 lawyer in 2 years for a accident i had 2 years ago.ICBC just won't settle and yet to find a lawyer who's willing to go to court.

 

[Anna]

aww..
just take it easy now..

ttyl.. hun!

 

[carefulone]

The reccomendation for a lawyer that ICBC hates isn't necessarily a good one.

There are lawyers that have skill, knowledge and good judgement and as a result have a lot of success obtaining either good settlements, or fair trial awards. ICBC worries about them, and begrudges their success. Generally, however, the costs incurred by ICBC in dealing with those lawyers are reasonable, so ICBC doesn't "hate" them.

There are also lawyers who take unreasonable positions, artificially inflate their clients' expectations, extend and complicate claims and inflate the costs born by ICBC. ICBC certainly hates them.

You want a lawyer who can communicate with you, who can effectively evaluate your claim, and who can represent your interests well. If that lawyer makes settlement proposals on your behalf that are such that ICBC would be in real danger of ending up paying more if they don't agree, then your claim is likely to be successfully settled, at a fair amount.

The reference in an earlier post to damage awards in the $10,000.00 to $20,000.00 range (IIRC) refers only to the "pain and suffering" component of the award. There are also compensatory components relating to the lost wages, future lost earnings, out of pocket expenses and others. These are often much greater than the "pain and suffering" component, although of course you actually have to either spend the money or lose the income to be compensated for it.

When you discuss how the lawyer is to be remunerated, essentially the choices are:
1) on an hourly basis;
2) a flat, pre-determined fee; or
3) a percentage of the settlement or award.

The second choice above will almost never be available for a case like this.

The third choice (a so called "contingency fee") is relatively common in cases like this, and has the attraction that it isn't due until the case is settled, but you need to consider a few things before agreeing to it:

a) if there is a real chance that your claim won't result in a moderate or large award, it may be uneconomic for the lawyer to offer the option to you;
b) even if fees are not due until settlement, usually the lawyers' expenses for out of pocket costs such as filing fees, photocopies, medical reports and the like must be paid as the case progresses (and they can be very expensive);
c) finally, and more importantly, a contingency fee will usually end up being larger than an hourly fee, if only to compensate the lawyer for having to wait to be paid.

(By the way, for any posters here who are not from BC, the contingency fee option is not available in every Province).

Finally, with respect to the poster who spoke about it being two years since the accident, and being on his third lawyer, you need to understand some realities:

I) the sort of soft tissue injuries that occur as a result of these automobile collisions take a long time to resolve themselves, and can get worse a long time after a collision - i.e. it can be a real mistake to settle early;
II) if you are going to have a trial, the courts are booking now for dates in 2007 and 2008 - the trials don't come quickly;
III) most importantly, ICBC loves trials, and generally loves jury trials the most. The reason - they have learned that when laypersons are sitting on a jury, they know that any awards they make are paid by ICBC, and so generally they are really cheap!

The most important advice is this:

1) get better;
2) get legal help; and
3) cultivate patience.

Wishing you well,
carefulone