I know not having an accident is something that can be planned. If you are one of the unfortunate few, like I happened to be on that fateful day when a small Mazda truck plowed into me, your problems are just beginning! After fifty some years without having a car accident, when it happened to me, I could not believe it. In my mind I can still see the truck coming toward me as I tried to get out of the way. The actual crash I can still hear and that sense of moving uncontrollably across the street is still with me.
All right, the accident happened. I received a citation. The district attorney plead it down to a faulty light. I received one point on my license. I called my insurance. They sent an appraiser. My car was towed to the AutoNation Honda Collision Repair Shop. I rented a car, a 2015 Hyundi Accent. And then my headaches began!
Six weeks and my car is still not ready. Even though the insurance paid for a rental from Enterprise for thirty days my out of pocket expense came to $139. Included in that price is one extra day and taxes. Gas for the rental car came to $31.00. When the collision shop informed me that further damage was found I was told that another estimate would be needed. More calls to the insurance company. I was told that the insurance covered my repairs and if there was a discrepancy between the appraiser and the collision company they would need to settle it between them. They could not extend my car rental agreement. It would take about another month to get my car back. My insurance told me that other than my deductible I should not need to pay anything further.
I found a rental car at Hertz for less than $21.00 a day but even the $288 for two weeks that I will need to pay makes me ill. If my car is not repaired, I will need to rent the 2014 Toyota Corolla for two more weeks.
When I returned the Hyundai at Enterprise I was told that I would drive the car back home and a non-hearing handicapped person would go with me and then he would drive the car back to the office. When the fellow came out, he reminded me of Eddie Redmayne in Theory of Everything. He got in the passenger side and I smiled and said, "Can you hear me?" I pulled on my ear. He shook his head. Made a sign as if he were signing. I said, "Oh, you sign?" I moved my fingers as if I was signing and he nodded. The ride from Enterprise to Hertz was quiet. When we arrived at the Hertz parking lot, I thanked him and he shook my hand. Evidently his hearing does not keep him from driving.
The end of my accident saga, I hope, will soon come to an end.
When I was hit by a drunk driver I was 25 and walking down the road with my dogs. They were fine, but I was a wreck, literally. If it weren't for my lawyer I don't know what I would have done. They helped me with all the insurance aspects that I didn't understand. I understand where you are coming from in your post.
ReplyDeleteWilford @ Samakow Law