RTP-area local music and culture

["Todd Morman" <tmorman AT nc.rr.com>]

At least *talk* to a lawyer, 5er. The free consult Bill mentioned is the
norm, with no obligation to use the lawyer if things go well with the
insurer. And you can bet the words, "I've scheduled a free consultation with
a personal injury lawyer tomorrow, but hope it won't be necessary to use
one" will light a fire under an insurance company's ass and get you better
service.

Like Chris said, keep very detailed records. That means noting the precise
time and date of each call or visit, and the full name of every person you
talked to, along with detailed, careful notes about everything they said.
This will pay off in case there's a problem, so do it right.

If you haven't gotten the Explorer's insurance company to pay for a loaner
vehicle yet, stop being a sap and demand it (if you already have, great).
It's the freaking minimum they should do, but they routinely depend on folks
like you not knowing that.

I'm glad you're mostly all right, but you're entitled to more than blue book
treatment here, and you shouldn't shy away from asking for it.

todd if they didn't offer a loaner in the first place find a moment to
express disappointment on that score and suggest that's the kind of behavior
that will encourage you to protect your interests with a lawyer in the
immediate future morman


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <burton AT email.unc.edu>
To: "RTP-area local music and culture" <ch-scene AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Friday, December 24, 2004 4:59 PM
Subject: Re: (OT) soliciting advice


>
> there are at least 3 aspects of this:
>
> 1. property damage (your car). they will try and total your car and pay
you
> blue book. it will never cover the cost of even replacing it with a like
> vehicle bc you can never find a decent car at blue book amount. plus you
may
> need to rent a car. plus if they fix your car you are entitled to the
> difference in what it was worth before and after the accident (diminution
of
> value). they will never tell you this.
>
> 2. personal medical claim: your medical bills. you don't know what they
will
> be for a while until you are sure you are back to healed. keep careful
> records of every dollar spent on this. they will try and lowball you.
>
> 3. pain and suffering. this not only includes the pain of the accident and
> subsequent injury. it also includes the freaking aggravation of it all.
> standing around out there in the cold bc this idiot couldn't drive. having
to
> take time off from work to deal with this all.
>
> chances are that if you do not have a lawyer they will never offer you any
> more than your emergency room bill and the blue book on the car. most
> personal injury lawyers will give you a free consultation and take the
case
> on contingent fee. they will also take around a third of the payoff. more
if
> it has to go to court.
> ps. i don't do personal injury.
> love, bb