I was in an accident yesterday.

[ricky]

I totaled one of my cars yesterday in an accident, not 1/2 mile from my house. I had just gone and picked up my son at the bus stop and was almost home, when someone pulled out of a side street right in front of me. I didn't even have time to think before we collided. I was hurt, but my son was ok. He's just sore from the seat belt hitting him. I hit my jaw on the steering wheel, and my forehead hit the sun visor and broke the windshield. I was transported to the hospital in an ambulance, and what a rough ride that was. They strapped me to a back board because of possible neck and back injury, and after I got to the hospital, they left me on that damned thing for 4 hours. I was in so much pain just from that I could hardly think straight. I had x-rays taken while still on the board, and the tech had to pull my arms downward so they could get a clear x-ray of my neck, and all the time I'm just about crying from the pain. I waited in the ER for close to 3 hours before the doctor finally came in to see me, after he had looked at my x-rays, and all he could say was "Damn! What happened to you?!". I guess he hadn't seen so much hardware in one person before. Then he told me that nothing was fractured or broken, but that I didn't have hardly and discs left in my neck, from the degenerative disc disease. They gave me a shot of some stuff called "Deloted", I think that's how you spell it. It's 20 times stronger than morphine. That took about 30 minutes to kick in. My inner lip on my lower jaw is all black and blue from the impact with the steering wheel now too.
Now I'm just sore from my hair to my toenails, which the doctor said will be normal. I guess I'm just lucky I wasn't going any faster than I was.
My car is toast too. It wasn't much to look at, it's a '90 Buick Skylark 4 door, with the paint peeling off everywhere, but it got great mileage, and was a good running car. I had put a lot of work into it over the years to keep it in good shape. But I only have liability insurance on it, so my insurance company won't pay to replace it. Fortunately, the other guy was at fault, so hopefully I'll get it replaced soon.

I'll try to post a few picks of it soon.

 

[Darkfinn]

Well... sorry to hear about that. Glad you are still in one piece though. Make sure to sue the pants off of the other driver for pain and suffering too!

 

[g6s]

Rest yourself for the next few days, but don't really sue anyone else. The insurance company will happily pay for time off work, your car, and damages to your son.

 

[dogboy]

I was thinking the same thing, Darkfinn. After the lawsuit, you can drive a Cadillac. Other people's stupidity is so infuriating when it involves pain and suffering. There's no excuse for just pulling out in front of someone. I'm glad your son is o.k., and I hope you improve quickly. Sorry about all the discs in your neck. I have a misplaced vertebre, and it often bothers me. I think it's from an old injury when I was hit by a car while walking across a busy highway. Wishing you a speedy recovery!

 

[Takashi]

They strapped me to a back board because of possible neck and back injury, and after I got to the hospital, they left me on that damned thing for 4 hours.

I waited in the ER for close to 3 hours before the doctor finally came in to see me,

I hate when they do that! My mom has asma and was having breathing problems so we took her to the hospital and it took 2-3 hours just for a doctor to see her!

"gentaly hugs" Sorry to hear about what happend and I hope that guy gets whats coming to him.

 

[Pramrider]

Ricky, glad to hear you weren't injured any worse than you were, and that your son is OK. Maybe having a larger car like a 4 door Buick helped cushion the impact and lessened the injury to you? Yes, you will be sore for several days unfortunately. Sounds like you had the normal experience in an ER with waiting for several hours. Being in pain as you were, I know it must have seemed like an eternity.:frown: Hope you recouperate from your injuries as quickly as possible.

Even though the other driver was at fault, I sure hope he wasn't seriously hurt either.

~Pramrider

 

[ballucanb]

This was one case ricky if you were driveing something newer with an air bag you would have been better off, sorry to hear about the accident, and I hope you and your son will be OK soon.

 

[Chillhouse]

My friend just got in an accident too. Except he hit a tree, not another car. And he was speeding. And trying to fishtail. And his car erupted into flames spontaniously.

Ah well, glad you're not hurt too bad.

 

[chevre]

Sorry to hear, and hope you're feeling better soon.

And sorry to burst sue-happy people's bubbles, but unless you can substantiate that there was some blatant negligence or intent, it's unlikely a suit would stand. Most likely it was an accident.

 

[Fire2box]

when I was in my accident past june the TA who was driving also had to be strapped on a backboard due to possible neck injury. Anyways I am glad you and your son are both okay all things considered. Being in car accidents can be scary.

 

[ricky]

Thanks for the encouragement and support guys. I'm really grateful for it. I wish it had been a bigger Buick though Pramrider, a Skylark is a compact car, so not much protection there. The other guy and passenger weren't hurt because they had air bags in their car, even though it too was just a small car. Both of the air bags went off in their car. The sheriff deputy said that it was obvious that he was at fault, he had come off of a side street without even stopping, and just turned right into my lane no less. I forgot to mention though, this was all on dirt roads too. And naturally, the county doesn't maintain them. There's not even a stop sign on the side street, but there's supposed to be one. I don't know if I can get the county on negligence for that or not. You know what they say, you can't fight city hall.
I'm hurting in a lot more places today now too. Both of my arms are sore as hell, I think from hanging onto the steering wheel so tight when I saw it coming. The nurse in the ER told us, my wife and I, that this is normal, and to expect that, but if it doesn't go away in a few days, to come back in, it may be something more serious. Thank God for morphine!!!!!

And on a side note, I guess if I was going to lose a car in an accident, I'm glad it was that one, and not any of the others. I would have had to kill someone if it had been my truck or my '64 Chevelle. Although, I know I would have fared far better if I had been in my old truck.

 

[Pramrider]

I wish it had been a bigger Buick though Pramrider, a Skylark is a compact car, so not much protection there. The other guy and passenger weren't hurt because they had air bags in their car, even though it too was just a small car.

That shows you how much of a 'car guy' I'm not. When I see the name "Buick", I still think of big Buicks of old. "Buick" and "compact" just don't go together in my mind. If you had an old early '50s Roadmaster, the car probably would have survived the impact with not much more than a dent. That's based on an account I heard of from a coworker who's dad owned one years ago.

That's normal to be feeling additional pain. I found out when in an accident myself that some of the pain doesn't appear until later on. With a collision practically your whole body is traumatized to some degree.

~Pramrider

 

[spacemanBEN]

Man, that sucks. I am glad to hear that you were not hurt worse though and that you are still in one piece. At least it was the car that was totaled instead of you. It's in a better place now anyways. I wish you a speedy recovery.

 

[NEJay]

That sucks dude... You'll feel fine soon.

You got lucky... The GM N-Bodies (your car, the Grand Am, etc.) are terrible in crashes. Maybe it's an omen that you'll have your car totalled, and you'll have some cash to go find something better (newer, and safer).

Did you have your seatbelt on?

 

[ricky]

Yeah, I wish it was a Buick Roadmaster! I know what you mean too about the name association there Pramrider. I do the same thing. I'm 49, so I know what it's like to drive a REAL car! LOL

I did have my belt on too, but that car is so small, and the steering wheel was right there in front of me, and the seat belts are in the doors,(stupid idea if you ask me), there was enough slack that I hit my jaw on the wheel and forehead against the visor, which also cracked the windshield.

My inner lip is all black and blue, it was like that in the hospital. That showed up right away, but this morning, my wife noticed that my chin is now all bruised up too, and it hurts more than anything else right now. I know they took x-rays, but it hurts like it's cracked. Accidents suck!!!

 

[Lowie]

That sucks Ricky! atleast nobody was killed