Sent you a PM
Leave it to a lawyer to pm ya..... Just kidding.... Couldn't resist
Seriously... Sounds like a serious accident, glad that you are okay.
As for the insurance, absolutely don't take first take. Another thing to consider was the condition of your truck prior to the accident. If you have any pictures of it, showing the condition that it was in, could help. They are always going to go for the lowest amount.
My other advise... It's okay to go to a DC (Chiropractor), but that can't make a diagnosis. What I mean by that is, they can say yea, you have an a Cervical Sprain, but it won't hold up for an insurance company.... You will need a diagnosis for a MD, trust me on this. Not only was I Paralegal in my younger days.... I also was a Med-Legal Claims Analyst for an Insurance Company. I had to have a Medical Report from a Dr/MD or a DO, but not a DC. The MD can refer to treatment to a DC, but the DC can not diagnosis...
It sounds as if it was a very serious accident, and you surely want to be checked over medically. But some further advise, if an attorney contacts you and says, your entitled to $10,000 or more - Keep in mind several factors, most of that ends of going to the doctors' and lawyers... Believe it or not, here's where the uninsured motorist provision comes in. Do you have health insurance? If you don't or you are not under your parents policy, this will surely get eat up any settlement...
Let's say you end up w/ say $5,000.00 in medical expense to the doctors, 80% will be paid by the auto-carrier, the other 20% will be either paid by your "health insurance" or 20% out of the settlement... I wont even get into the limits, cuz that can get confusing, esp when you are not at fault. But the bottom line is this. Insurance is 80/20 when it comes to medical payments. And there is the question to what their carrier limits are. And this don't even get into the "lawyers" percentage, and on top of their percentage they get their reimbursement for expense. I have seen ppl come in w/moderate injuries, and be told that they could get a settlement of say $50,000.00; and by the time the doctors and lawyers take their HUGE bite, they might walk out w/$5,000, if they are lucky....
My point is this. Becareful, and be very cautious of attorney's offerening you the moon. No offense to any attorney's on this forum, but when it comes to auto, most of the attorney's are in w/the doctor's and it just one big freaking scam.... So ended my paralegal career, and I went to work for the insurance company....
Bottom line is this, go to a Medical Doctor, whether it be your primary care doctor. He can order all the necessary test, ie xray's, ect, again, DC can't, and a DC/Chiropractor's DX will not hold much weight if any to an insurance carrier.....
But I am glad you are okay! That is seriously, above all else, that is most important here. Trucks, they can be replaced, you not being the one nor your sister, the one in the hospital in critical condition, that can not be replaced.
