Do you recall that car crash I had in the summer of 2008? The one where the driver of the other car involved decided to sue me for damages back last February?
Since receiving that rather disturbing sheaf of papers, I have only spoken once to the lawyer that my insurance company assigned to the case. I had just wanted to ask him a couple of questions about those papers, including were they still legal if my address was typed wrongly all over them (answer: yes). I also told him my side of the story, giving him additional details, all of which I wrote about in that post last February.
I have not been contacted since.
Till today.
There was an envelope from my lawyer in the mail today. I couldn’t help it, my heart started to pound and my hands started to shake. I didn’t want to open it up. I was scared of what it might contain. I told myself that it was quite likely just an update on the case, that it surely wasn’t anything awful, because if it was, my lawyer would have phoned me. Certainly that would be how legal cases worked.
Wouldn’t it?
Like an idiot, I sat there holding the envelope in my trembling hands for several more minutes before I finally took a deep breath and opened it. As I did, I mentally scolded myself for being such a drama queen.
Inside was one sheet of paper with very little typing on it. It very briefly informed me that the lawsuit had “settled”. The word “settled” was in bold. My participation in the case was now “concluded”. The word “concluded” was not in bold.
I breathed deeply again. It’s over, and pretty painlessly, really.
But now I’m wondering what that jackass ended up getting as his settlement. And yes, the word “jackass” is in bold.
Thank you, 
Thank you, Fhina, at 
6 responses so far ↓
Nora Ibsen // October 18, 2009 at 4:08 am
I hope your insurance rates don’t go up as a result of the settlement.
pinklea // October 18, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Nora – No, I had plenty of accident liability insurance to begin with, and I had a very long record of good driving prior to the accident (25 years!), so my rates have stayed the same. I feel very fortunate, all things considered: yes it was a bad crash, yes I totally wrecked my car, but nobody was hurt and I didn’t end up losing a huge amount of money.
XUP // October 19, 2009 at 5:32 am
So, you didn’t even have to be there? The insurance company just settled? Well, I’m glad for you that it’s over. Phew.
pinklea // October 19, 2009 at 8:33 am
XUP – That’s right, two lawyers apparently sat down and negotiated and eventually came to a settlement that the “injured party” was happy with. I had been told that it was very unlikely to go to trial, but that possibility was still in the back of my mind. I’m relieved, to say the least!
VioletSky // October 20, 2009 at 3:37 am
Sometimes, lawyers are great, aren’t they? Even if they don’t bother to give you any details (but then he might have charged you for all the updates – I’ve heard of that happening)
I’m glad for you.
hannah78 // October 20, 2009 at 12:01 pm
I’m glad it’s been “settled”. Receiving a letter from a lawyer would make most people freak.
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