Is The Horse in trouble? I had to call the Gallatin County Attorney in Montana today.
By The Horse
@TheHorse (238428)
Walnut Creek, California
October 8, 2019 12:58pm CST
I received a latter in the mail recently that I had not expected. As some of you know I was "rear-ended" in Montana on my way home from my yearly visit to the cabin.
I was able to drive off, but about $3500 in damage was done to the right side of my SUV.
It turns out that the lady who hit me was charged with speeding (I had not known that), and I may be entitled to "restitution" if I so request.
Because this kind of situation is unfamiliar to me (I'm a good defensive driver), I had no idea whether not responding to this letter would lead to me not getting money from her insurance company for repair of my car.
The lady who hit me was super-nice, and both of our concerns were that the other person was OK. I want nothing from her beyond payment from her insurance company for damages to my truck.
The person I ultimately spoke with today was an Assistant to the Deputy County Attorney. The Deputy County Attorney was the person who had written the letter I received.
I told her that I wanted no restitution beyond having my car fixed, but I asked to to "document" that I had called, and that I expected her insurance company to be fully cooperative.
Do you think I did the right thing in terms of balancing "being kind" with "making sure I'm made whole?" This is uncharted territory for me.
15 people like this
13 responses
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
8 Oct 19
If your not hurt physically then that should be the end of it, pay for the damage and move on.
If you are hurt sue BUT have those loss of income from Dr. visits and medical records ready for court, no records no case.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (86993)
• United States
8 Oct 19
And I have to ask if it was a legitimate notification from the county, or some lawyer making it look like you were “entitled to compensation” so you’d hire them.
One of my, ahem, “favorite” horror stories involves an incident on Saturday afternoon. (Please pay attention to that, gentle readers.). I was on my way to the library and, while sitting at a red light, someone rear ended me. It didn’t even dent either fender, so I was all happy to get back in and drive on to the library (because it closed at 5 PM on Saturday, meaning I only had about an hour and a half to get there); HOWEVER, an ambulance was sitting on the corner, saw it, and called the cops. (Thanks for wasting my tax money! 
)
The cops came, made a mountain out of a molehill (I felt so sorry for the girl who hit me because she didn’t deserve any of this...this was CLEARLY a “no harm, no foul” situation), and I missed getting to the library.
MONDAY (remember, this is Saturday afternoon) I had FOUR LETTERS from the so-called “ambulance chaser” lawyers in my mailbox: “wanna sue?”
Jerks. We now have a law in Kentucky where lawyers cannot contact the “participants” in a car accident for 30 days after the event. Thankfully, I haven’t had any wrecks in quite a long time (no “serious” wrecks EVER, thank God), so I don’t know if the muckrakers, I mean lawyers, still do that.
)
The cops came, made a mountain out of a molehill (I felt so sorry for the girl who hit me because she didn’t deserve any of this...this was CLEARLY a “no harm, no foul” situation), and I missed getting to the library.
MONDAY (remember, this is Saturday afternoon) I had FOUR LETTERS from the so-called “ambulance chaser” lawyers in my mailbox: “wanna sue?”
Jerks. We now have a law in Kentucky where lawyers cannot contact the “participants” in a car accident for 30 days after the event. Thankfully, I haven’t had any wrecks in quite a long time (no “serious” wrecks EVER, thank God), so I don’t know if the muckrakers, I mean lawyers, still do that.1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238428)
• Walnut Creek, California
8 Oct 19
I'm going to answer your first question and then read the rest of your comment. This letter was from the Gallatin County Attorney, complete with a phone number I could call to confirm its authenticity. So no, it was not some "ambulance chaser" attorney.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86993)
• United States
8 Oct 19
@TheHorse — I commented before you finished. After reading the conclusion, I think you’re definitely correct in what you did. When I broke my ankle the insurance company of the hotel called me (before I’d even been to the doctor!), and I told them I didn’t want to sue, just to have my bills taken care of.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (102699)
• India
21 Oct 19
Honestly, I am not sure. I mean, if the lady was nice, why was she speeding. Was she "acting" nice because she expected you to make a case and did not want to be paying for it. And you seemed such a gentleman. In general, "normal folks" tend to blame the other party or find fault with this something else. May be I have suspicious nature.
@wolfgirl569 (136167)
• Marion, Ohio
8 Oct 19
Yes you did right. You said she was kind and a big thing anymore is she did not try to drive away.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (223055)
• United States
8 Oct 19
Four Walls is right. Attorneys chase ambulances and traffic accidents. Your letter was definitely from the Deputy County Attorney. You did what feels right to you. That's all that's important.
1 person likes this
