Been a rough 2 weeks!

Well, not sure where to put this, general topics will have to do.

A couple weeks ago while driving my 2013 Tundra SR 4x4 to the local ballpark to give my dogs some space to run a bit after dinner. I was hit head on by another Tundra owner as he lost control of his truck after dropping his cell phone on the floor and then trying to retrieve it at 40 plus mph! I was heading in the opposite direction about the same speed. It happened so fast I didn't get a chance to turn or hit my brakes! He nailed me square on hard!
Totaled his 2003 Tundra, totaled mine, he was wearing his seat belt and walked away from it. I was not. Won't get into the reason why as I usually wear them all the time. let me just say even if your going 1 mile from your house and in your own neighborhood. put it on!

First day I felt like breathing today in two weeks, …ribs, chest, head, shoulders, neck hands, all hurt and bruised. So fortunate to not have been ejected thru the front windshield. My head hit the windshield so hard it shattered the glass! I had quit a bit of internal bleeding on my brain, but thank God it stopped without having to have major surgery after 2 days.

At 61 I have been very fortunate to not have ever been in a serious accident …until now.

I hope that someone out there reads this post and decides to wear that seatbelt or drive a bit more defensive going forward!

People are really being distracted by cell phones! I counted 8 out of 23 cars driving thru a busy intersection in my town that I could see were talking on their phones. I am sure I missed a couple.

It is crazy out there. So many drivers rare acing around too fast for driving conditions, cutting in and out of lanes while entering or approaching intersections, talking and texting on their phones, eating while driving.

The EMS (Emergency Medical Team) said it was well over 50%, the number of accidents they roll up on where a cell phone played a part in the cause of the accidents. Especially with the younger drivers.

I personally think if you get caught on a phone while driving a vehicle. It should be an automatic 3 month suspension of your license followed by even tougher consequences. 3 strikes and you never drive again!

I almost never got the chance to see my wife, children, grandchildren, mother, brother, sister and friends. Because some a-hole decided it was important to shoot the shit with a buddy less than 3 miles from his home on the way home from picking up a pizza and I made the mistake of thinking it wasn't important to wear that seat belt because I was only driving down my local streets a mile or so to take the dogs for a walk.
Pleas folks, be careful while driving tomorrow.

Anyway I am on the mend and already missing my truck.

Insurance is giving me about $26,000 which does not replace my paid off low mileage 2013 Tundra.
So I am in the market rather unexpectedly for a replacement vehicle. Not sure what to do, lease one for a couple years, buy a new one and go back under payments, or pay cash for the best one I can find that was similar condition, equipment and miles as the Tundra I had?

Anyone out there been in a similar situation before or know of any other options?


PeaCe

Studbuzzar

 

I would have sued his insurance for more money. Why should you have to potentially go into debt on a new truck because of his carelessness? Not to mention the injuries.

I'm glad you're ok!

 

Sorry to hear about what happened but glad you are ok.

 

Sorry to hear that. Hope your story enlightens others.

 

Wow, what an incredible gift.
Glad your ok.

 

Glad you are OK now. How about the dogs?

I got hit head on at 40mph in College. Bunch of illegals that had bought the old car with cash that same day. Like you, I didn't have a seatbelt on. I was in an 81 Chevy truck. The steeering wheel cracked 4 ribs and my left knee pushed the metal under the dash and the stereo back to the firewall. I have worn a seatbelt all the time from that day on.

 

Welcome from NY.

Sorry to hear about your accident. Glad that you are slowly on the mend. I would sue him to cover the cost of a new Tundra.

 

Sorry to hear about your accident. Glad you are on your way to recovery.

 

Another member on here posted his 2010 Supercharged Tundra with 78,500 miles for $25K. Here's the post: https://www.tundras.com/threads/fs-2010-tundra-with-trd-supercharger.47442/#post-1229758

 

Wow, you are blessed to have come out alive!! I would encourage you to talk to an injury/accident attorney!! At least get some opinions on options of covering any medical care rendered now or in the future, and with the other driver being at fault, getting more than full value for a new Tundra! It's his fault, his insurance would pay you for his extraordinary reckless driving.

Good to hear you're on the road to recovery!

 

Glad you made it and I hope your dog is well too. But seriously, get a lawyer and get damages for pain and suffering etc. I've got a permanent neck pain that inhibits my motorcycle riding and I'm still pissed at the lady who was texting and nailed me!

 

I agree 1000% on the cell phone issues you mentioned. The fines should be severe or this kind of thing will not change.
Glad you are on the mend and I hope your pups are ok as well

 

I did consult an attorney, but chose to not pursue that route at this time. My agent SF says Hartford is a good company and will do right by me and pay medical bills. We will see. Life happens and weget by on grace each day of our lives IMHO.

Puppy's seem fine. They were scared after it happened, but a neighbor who saw it went and brought my wife up to the crass sight while I was on way to hospital

 

Glad you are alright for sure. The person that hit you should pay a huge fine ad far as I am concerned. I hate that and I hate when I see that happen which has been three times at red lights!! All getting rear ended from someone possum with a phone!! Ok sorry! Back to the truck. I bought a 13 for 32 back then it was a special TSS. It had 20s and no stickers it has a little chrome TSS from the factory on the tail gate. Point is when I traded it they gave me 26 and change and it had low miles and was very clean. It didn’t last long, so a deal can be had might take sometime and some luck. Which I wish you with regarding getting healed up and finding another vehicle. Best of luck

 

I am now as well, ribs took a whack also. I think that is why it has been so hard to breath for 2 weeks
slowly getting better

 

No way man you need to see an attorney for sure. You don’t have a n idea what will come of this. You really do!! Get what you can from him because that is why we all are suppose to have it. Daughter ran over a Prius a year ago in her Tundra (college girl on phone in Austin. Jacked her left arm and wrist and she is still having troubles and didn’t break it. Doctor said would have been better if she did she is an OT just now getting better and from the visits and shots in the wrist she wants that girl to pay for her pain!!! Pain sucks I live with it everyday since 2001 I hate it!!! Get an attorney!!!!

 

^^^ yup and don’t agree to anything or sign crap without an attorney looking at it!! I guarantee the guy that hit you has or will lawyer up!! His insurance will be looking out for him and not you!!

 

Glad you are OK.

Crashes are no joke. I always buckle up.

I hope you get back to 100% ASAP.

 

I am now as well, ribs took a wack also. I think that is why it has been so hard to breath for 2 weeks

 

Glad you are on the mend

 

Thank you for the tip, mine looked a lot like that one except mine was green with beige interior ( waited 4 months for Toyota to make a few in that color). Looked at the new ones a bit online that Calvary Blue or Quicksand colors look very nice.

 

I have a long story about the time I tried to take a dealer to court for ruining a like new Honda Aquatrax F-12 3 Seater Personnel Watercraft I owned and had kept in my garage for 5 years with only 20 hours on it. I had agreed to sell it to a father and son, but told them I would put it in the shop for an oil change and check up because it had been sitting for so long and I wanted to make sure everything was perfect for them. The mechanic at the dealership recommended I replace a couple hoses (raw water cooling pump hose) because it may be getting dry rotted or worn out due to not being used. I said OK no problem fix it.

Well that deal ended up causing me over a years worth of aggravation, tons of time in a law library trying to figure out how to represent myself because no attorney would touch it for less than a $4,000 retainer fee. I also drove 4 hours each way 4 times during this time trying to get myself a court date with this crooked watercraft dealer up in Melbourne Florida who would postpone every time I drove all the way up there for a hearing etc. I was only trying to get $5,000 which is what I had it sold for.

After lots of angst and heart ache a lost sale to a nice father and son and many nights thinking of ways to get that dealer crook back... I came to a point were I realized I had done the best I could and would never be made whole by this guy. So I accepted his low ball offer of $2500 during a mediation hearing prior to going to court and turned it over to God. Within 3 days of accepting half of what I should have got $2500 instead of the $5,000 I had it sold for. I received a letter from the IRS for $2500 I still owed them for over 3 years. At one time it was 17,000 but I had been slowly paying the back taxes. At the time of their letter threatening to garnish my wages I was really hurting financially. So I deposited the dealers check for $2500 into my bank gave him my jet ski which I am sure he sold wholesale for $2500 immediately! I then wrote a check to the IRS for $2500 and finally had them paid off after struggling to do so for 5 years.

The very next week I got a job I had been trying to get for over a year that paid me more than any job I had ever had before and I got to travel the world for almost 8 years doing something I really loved.



After deciding not get involved with all the fear based thinking and worrying about getting justice, an attorney and what the future might bring because of the accident. I decided to let grace flow. in my life as I had during that legal battle with the water craft dealer.

Tonight my wife got a job offer she had been trying to get for over a year tonight. It pays her about $3,000 more per month than her current employer.

PeaCe and thank you all for the advice, help and comments.

Will move on to finding a replacement truck? Anyone interested in selling a Nice Tundra for$20-$25,000or close to that give me a PM. I live in south Florida palm beach county

 

Glad to hear you are recovering. With all due respect, it would be foolish not to hire an attorney. You cannot trust the other driver’s or your own insurance companies. The fact that you’re not getting what you think your truck is worth tells you right there they only care about minimizing their payout to you. I was rear ended, minor injury, but my car was totaled. Insurance company offered me one amount for my car. I fought it and stated my case for a higher value and was able to get $4000 more. I also hired an attorney. An attorney allows you to receive treatment without money out of your pocket. No need to worry about reimbursements. I also received a payout equivalent to the cost of medical expenses for me to keep. Obviously every case is different, but you have to think about your health and your family. Forget the insurance companies.

 

First and for most you are OK and I am glad to hear that.

Now you can find a cement tundra and join the best color club.

 

Thankfully you are on the mend! That was horrible! Similar thing happened to me in 2002, T boned by a woman on her phone, I lost control, hit a building. Was months before I could look up, and I tried to rush things and made things worse so best advise I could give is, listen to the DR. Take care of yourself. It sucks to have to buy a truck when you had a perfectly good truck but you are here still and on the mend. Hug your family and thank the one above.
I see people on the freeway in rush hour traffic on their cell phones. They think they are soo clever, with it on their lap or on the center console, and no one would notice if they keep it low out of sight. (it's illegal in CA and frankly as a distraction, is really illegal regardless of the presence of a no-phone law, everywhere). Every time I see them looking at their phones, I honk until they stop. I drive all the way home honking some days it's so bad.

 

How much did your attorney cost?

 

Most attorneys get 33% and a third. In most accident cases?? That is how it has been for a very long time?