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Serious Auto Accident


mondeoman

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Not that anyone missed me, but want to report in. My wife and my 15 yr old were involved in a very serious head on wreck last Tuesday at 3pm. Happened just outside Canby. They were driving our 4 month old Caliber (4300 miles). He slammed into the Caliber, and came to rest inches from windshield, rear end sitting upon hood of Caliber. Wife was airlifted to Legacy Emanual ER, son ground transport to Providence WF. She has major breaks in left arm, elbow and wrist. Right arm is wrist fracture. Son is bruised and sore. Both going to be A-OK, after many months therapy for wife. She has metal braces, pins and screws. Also a new titanium left elbow.

 

TSA is going to love her ;-)

 

We are going home tomorrow, checking out of hospital, I hope.

 

Keep us in your prayers. Long road ahead. Thanks TEAM.

 

Bill

Edited by mondeoman
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Bill,

I am sorry to hear that, however glad to hear they will ultimately be ok. Do you think the caliber performed as well as you expected it to in protecting them?

 

I have expirence in these matters both my wife and I have popped air bags.

 

There are others that can assist you through this, and while it may be a bit early to think about, you may want to contact PDXSVT via PM as he deals with this type of thing for a living. (Atty) He has helped out several people I know with very good results. Remember the job of an insurance adjuster (everyones) is to minimize the Companies losses not yours.

 

You have my number please call me if there is anything you even think I might be able to help you with. I have many resources available.

 

We will keep you and your family in our prayers,

 

Bob M

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WOW, sorry to hear about that man. Definitely glad to hear they are going to be ok.

 

I'll second the mention of contacting PDXSVT. He's the man in these type of situations. It sounds like you have quite a case.

 

What was the other car?

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Oh Bill, I am so sorry to hear this news, and that your wife was so badly injured and has a long road ahead, but thank goodness they both are healing. I'd never heard of a Caliber, but it looks very tough.

 

It sounds like the NW group goes well beyond Contour support. A blessing. I'lll be sending many healing thoughts southward.

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Wow. So much happened in an instant and will have ripple effects for so long.

 

I hope they heal well in body AND mind, and future activity compromises are minimal.

 

Make sure your son gets healed up well too. If he was active in any school sports, this might hamper him a lot but he does have the resilience of youth in his favor. And if your wife worked and was right handed, there's a lot of therapy coming up to keep high function levels. She will improve as a weather forecaster, she will now feel fronts approaching. And your boy will be a big advocate of seat belts among his friends.

 

 

Are other surgeries being discussed? Are there plans to remove any plates and screws later?

 

And despite airbags, how are the internal organs doing below the seat belt bruises? And once body part A stops screaming in pain, then one might hear body part B whimpering. So some injury aches and pains are yet to fully blossom and those can continue to hurt long after bones knit.

 

 

Is your family vehicle a total loss?

What kind of collision/comprehensive do you have on your vehicle through your insurance carrier, with what deductible, you might be best going through your carrier on a total claim. What prices do you find when you search for vehicles like yours at autotrader.com and other sites? The other side will low ball you and KBB values have little to do with how PD claims settle. Your recourse in going to battle with your own carrier is quicker, cheaper, simpler to get to a good result. If other cars are available and running for family use, you can avoid being held hostage by the notion of "needing" a rental car and being stuck taking what the other side offers. There are details to this, but not too many and not too horribly complicated.

 

On the injury claims:

Do you know what your PIP coverage limits are?

Is there other family health insurance coverage in place, to pay medical bills after PIP's medical bill limits have been paid out?

Has PIP been contacted about opening claims for loss of earnings?

Do you know what your UIM coverage limits are?

 

All of these factors ARE huge. Some drivers have no insurance, and many carry only what the state requires as a minimum. Oregon's minimum policy requirement is a max of only up to $25K for any one person, and with 2 or more people hurt, then only $50K to cover everyone combined. Those situations make your UIM coverage extremely important. And SOMEtimes when the other side pays out, you do or don't have to share any of that $$ with your own PIP company or the family health insurer. There's a bunch of details to these topics and they do get complicated.

 

Although this strikes some as sounding like poor manners (but each one IS worth 1,000 words)... IF you hear the other driver had better than minimum liability insurance coverage, or if your UIM coverage is $50K per person or higher, then DO take pictures of the bruises and healing incisions. AND keep copies of records and bills for all prescriptions filled.

 

May their Protector and Healer hold them in their recuperation.

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Sounds like a consultation is in order. The forum probably isn't the best place to air this stuff.

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Mike: I agree. I should have been clear, I was partially posting rhetorically on topics for later on. He will be VERY busy with just struggling to function while juggling the demands on his plate, and I wasn't expecting he'd jump and post specifics and details on this board. The only claim issues likely to press on him now will be about property damages/car rentals and PIP/health insurance billing. As long as he he doesn't get rushed/screwed on PD stuff, everything else CAN wait.

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Hey Gang, THANK YOU and BLESS you ALL for the encouragement, kind words and care you ALL have voiced!!!! What a heck of a group we have hear!!!!

Got home late last night.

I DO appreciate the 'scoup' on the legal tangles and other issues we are facing. I am not TOTALLY naive on these things, first hand experience outside of the auto lost is ZERO!!! I will PM more on this to our brother, PDXSVT in the next day or two.

Sure hopes to get my mind off of the issues at hand, chatting with friends on this forum.

Alas, I had planned on taking off last wed-fri for the purpose of chaning the Calipers' oil (first O&F) and proceeding on the Contours front suspension resurrection. This also can and will wait.

Driving a rental right now - not a bad car, in the road manners department - 2012 Ford Fusion SE. Reminds me of a 'tour in so many ways.

I am rambling all over....very tired. I was NEVER cut out to be a house-husband, I tell you ;-)

God Bless - Bill

Edited by mondeoman
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Thanks PNW TEAM!!!! You guys/gals are the most.I so appreciate your prayers and concerns. The outpouring has been nothing short of FANTASTIC!!!

Mondeoman/Bill

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There's times when everyone needs some help and support..... Granted when owning a Tour that usually means a hand with some wrench turning, but even so it can surpass that, to something really important.

 

Please keep the updates coming......

 

AF

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