tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2259595163018451877.post3080839017867871388..comments2023-07-20T10:11:24.691-05:00Comments on Premeditated Living: Profiting from Misfortunecpa3485http://www.blogger.com/profile/00031439889267356735noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2259595163018451877.post-30545457541756044042010-01-25T22:24:14.158-06:002010-01-25T22:24:14.158-06:00Dear CPA3485 (Jimbo):
Bobskoot is absolutely corr...Dear CPA3485 (Jimbo):<br /><br />Bobskoot is absolutely correct in this matter. <br /><br />Your body will have a much longer memory than that portion of your mind tha remembers incidents, and insurance settlements. As you grow older (hopefully), your 56-year-old hip may remember how badly it was twisted that afternoon, when the cager ran into you through no fault of your own. And it may remember the incident so well, that you may not be able to ride on damp or rainy days. <br /><br />And your insurance company, which made billions of dollars last year in a verticle cash vacuum, will never shed a tear. I sincerely hope you do not discover they have raised your rates next year to cover their losses. The pain and suffering issue is to compensate you for the riding tme you lost, the value of your leisure time, and any inconvence you experienced as a result of the collision.<br /><br />In my crash, the other party -- issued a ticket for making an illegal left turn — was insured and I pressed the case myself, bypassng my own insurance company. The other company offered me $900 for a 1986 BMW K75 with a Sprint fairing. I politely told them to shove it up their ass. I got their letters, their assessment, and copies of various legal statements that spelled out their legal obligations.<br /><br />I politely told them to shove these up their ass too. Then they sent me a statement of charges for storing my wrecked motorcycle at their pound. Then it was my time to talk. When we were through, the final cash settlement for my 21-year-old K75 with 32,000 miles on it was $5,000. It took 18 months. <br /><br />Then it was time to settle the medical issue, and the pain and suffering. That came out to another $10,000, or $5k over my hospital expenses. No lawyers were involved... No court action was taken. No strong arm tactics were called into play. A good lawyer may have gotten me double that. The $5 grand for pain and sufering was alleged to cover the three summer months I couldn't ride, the loss of my annual vacation time, and the time spent on finding another bike. <br /><br />How much is my leisure time worth? About $5 million a second. Because I can't get any of it back. Yours is worth about the same. Don't even think of buying a BMW unless there is a dealer within 70 miles. <br /><br />Fondest regards,<br />Jack • reep • Toad<br />Twisted RoadsJack Riepehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07531160098262862027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2259595163018451877.post-63065801636355450132010-01-20T13:08:14.836-06:002010-01-20T13:08:14.836-06:00Bottom line is that you seem to be doing all right...Bottom line is that you seem to be doing all right. Makes me almost want to go out and crash! ( joking, joking!)<br /><br />Don't listen to bobskoot. You need to buy only one pink croc and wear a sandal on the other foot. Then you, too, can get shut out of volcanic crater attractions!irondadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17821323482397075170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2259595163018451877.post-43426137566210408852010-01-18T17:15:25.742-06:002010-01-18T17:15:25.742-06:00cpa3485:
Jim, you were injured through no fault o...<b>cpa3485:</b><br /><br />Jim, you were injured through no fault of your own and endured pain and suffering. While it would be nice to adhere to your ethics and accept nothing, then who would be the fool when it is provided for and is the accustomed practice of the insurance industry where everyone follows the same procedure. If the subsequent responses were so quickly agreed to, then the amount was too low.<br /> Pain and suffering is a continuous process throughout your life and will come back to haunt you in your later years. consider it a prepayment for those occurrences.<br /> When I was much younger a car ran a red light and T-boned us. I didn't realize that I hit my arm very hard. It didn't seem to hurt much at the time so I signed the insurance documents not wanting to drag it out. Now nearly 40 years later it still aches when it rains or during a change of weather. I can't lean on my elbow for very long before it starts to ache. JMHO<br /><br />NOW, don't feel so guilty. Take some of the $$, fly to Hawaii where there is an abundance of Pink Crocs and bring them back to Kansas, after all, why buy on-line when you are rich<br /><br />bob<br /><a href="http://www.wetcoastscootin.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">bobskoot: wet coast scootin</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05258612401956399482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2259595163018451877.post-62928046228202565262010-01-16T21:24:51.902-06:002010-01-16T21:24:51.902-06:00Jim, thanks for posting this. I think you handled...Jim, thanks for posting this. I think you handled this very well.<br /><br />But, you could have asked for more, and here's my legal theory on it - I'm gonna call it "imputed pain and suffering" - this would consider all of your readers' pain over knowing this happened to you. Sort of a class action thing. I should have been an attorney!!!!<br /><br />Seriously, I am glad you came out of this OK.Lancehttp://thescooterchronicles.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2259595163018451877.post-33929987000664007122010-01-16T00:09:10.471-06:002010-01-16T00:09:10.471-06:00A well told story and a very mature decision. Mone...A well told story and a very mature decision. Money is nice, but there are other things like one's principals and integrity that are ultimately more important.Chuck Pefleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02886326288618029812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2259595163018451877.post-15333539622919610072010-01-15T11:04:15.023-06:002010-01-15T11:04:15.023-06:00Charlie,
I would be crushed to lose a '75 560S...Charlie,<br />I would be crushed to lose a '75 560SL like that. Have argued with insurance companies about the value of a car before and it isn't fun, especially when there is a lot of personal feelings for the vehicle.<br />Yeah, it was enough money to maybe get a used Beemer, but I am still all about commuting on two wheels rather than long distance touring. My scoot is perfect for commuting, but if my needs and desires change someday, then that used Beemer, hell, maybe a new one, would definately be on the list.<br />BTW, Sharon and I are real jealous of that 3rd wheel you now have. LOL, Maybe there is a trike in my future.<br />Thanks for visiting and have fun on that Ural,<br /><br />Jimcpa3485https://www.blogger.com/profile/00031439889267356735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2259595163018451877.post-20241466690054344662010-01-15T10:57:05.160-06:002010-01-15T10:57:05.160-06:00Sharon,
I can't knock all of the lawyers, just...Sharon,<br />I can't knock all of the lawyers, just some of them. All you have to do is look at the phone book and see who has the largest ads. There will always be injustices in the world and you might need a lawyer for some of them, but I imagine that 80% of that personal injury world is crap and we all end up paying for it one way or another.<br />And yes I understand your feelings about the soreness. My shoulder actually healed fairly quickly, my hip was the larger problem, but every once in a while I'll just slightly move my arm and feel a twinge. My situation pales in comparison to yours, I'm sure.<br />But every day is better. Our bodies are really amazing, even if not perfect.<br /><br />Thanks for your thouoghts.<br /><br />Jimcpa3485https://www.blogger.com/profile/00031439889267356735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2259595163018451877.post-65874697265779644752010-01-15T08:50:29.263-06:002010-01-15T08:50:29.263-06:00cpa3485, I too thank you for sharing this story......cpa3485, I too thank you for sharing this story....lawyers in my opinion are mostly scum, so avoiding their involvement was probably a good thing in this case. The airwaves here are sometimes full of ads from "lawyers who ride" who are wanting to "help" riders who've been in accidents. I bet they ride, all the way to the nearby bank. <br /><br />I'd never read or heard about this "pool of money" that insurance companies pay into by reinsuring themselves with other companies but it makes sense...thanks for that info as well.<br /><br />Here in Colorado, when I was involved in an accident in my cage (where the idiot ran a red and ruined my cherry red 1975 560SL), you're automatically provided with a "day in court". This goes away if you accept a "settlement" from the insurance company. I now wonder what would have happened had I refused it and pushed it towards the court date. Oh well.<br /><br />Seems to me though, receiving that money to avoid litigation is rightly deserved...heck, you were injured, your body will never be the same, and worse of all...you were deprived of riding time and opportunities!<br /><br />I hope it was enough for say a nicely maintained and broken in Beemer? : )redlegsrideshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10927757855921321097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2259595163018451877.post-49291805166325695972010-01-15T07:40:05.632-06:002010-01-15T07:40:05.632-06:00Jim, I sure understand your feelings. Lawyers are ...Jim, I sure understand your feelings. Lawyers are adversarial. It is an adversarial discipline. That's what they do so I'm not surprised that you sensed that coming from your own lawyer. When my brother was killed by a hit and run driver, my mother was bombarded with lawyers (literaly ambulance chasers) trying to convince her to sue HER insurance company! One even came to the house toting a bible! They tried to convince her too that it was all legal, her right, and that she too should take the money. It was her decision and she never understood the logic. And, just wanted it all to stop.<br /><br />I applaud you for sharing your dilemma, the honesty and tensions you experienced come through clearly. <br /><br />BTW, I'm a tad older than you and I can tell you, I don't think we bounce back like we used to. Occasionally, I still get a memory from the cracked ribs and broken collar bone and that been more than one year!Sojourner's Moto Taleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02235661849993752840noreply@blogger.com