My friends survived a massive crash. It's bad

"SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman" (dasborgen) 01/02/2014 at 11:12 • Filed to: None

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My friends survived a massive crash dec 28th driving home from a family trip. They got rammed by a pickup truck that ran a stop sign at full speed.

http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundra…

It hit Phil's side but Ashley sustained most of the damage. Both were life-flighted to Mercy St. Vincent's Hospital in Toledo, Ohio where they are being given the best possible care.

also

Phil has several broken bones and will be off from work for several months. Ashley's road to recovery is a bit more long and we're taking it day by day. Along with her internal injuries, she also has a broken hip which will need rehab and attention.

If you can find it in your heart to donate any little to the cause, please do so in the link above.

I went over to see them a couple of days ago and they're doing pretty well considering the shape of the car. They were lucky they weren't in his Mazdaspeed Miata or their Tacoma. Their injuries sound much worse than they actually are. She is lucky to still have full function of her legs (hugely lucky there). It was bad but still not as bad as it could have been

I'm not one to normally post something like this but as a Jalop it's still my duty to do so.

Mattbob > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 11:15

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I'm glad to hear they are relatively okay. Hopefully they heal fast.

Group B-raaaaaaaaaap! > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 11:16

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Oh man, that looks brutal. I hope one of the editors will FP this to get the word out!

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Group B-raaaaaaaaaap! 01/02/2014 at 11:19

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that would be quite choice

getchapopcorn > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 11:20

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Glad to hear that they are doing well! Thankfully, while bad, their injuries do not sound as bad as they could have been.

Just curious, was the other driver under-insured or uninsured? If so did they have the rider on their policy for those situations?

505Turbeaux > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 11:21

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glad they made it. I lost 2 friends 10 years ago in a Jetta to an Explorer that ran a 4 way intersection, so I know how bad something like this can go. Hope they heal quick!

Tom McParland > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 11:29

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Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery for your friends.

PNW20v > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 11:33

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Dear god that is pretty bad for the driver. SO glad to hear nothing that serious, as far as how bad the car looks.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Group B-raaaaaaaaaap! 01/02/2014 at 11:34

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DP

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > PNW20v 01/02/2014 at 11:36

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thanks

Bricks > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 11:48

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oh my goodness that is a bad wreck, that car doesn't look as if anyone could have survived. I'm really glad to hear they made it out alive and should be ok.

J. Walter Weatherman > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 11:54

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Damn. That looks and sounds brutal. I hope they (and/or the other driver) have some really good insurance. Seeing as the medical bills for just my broken leg are rapidly approaching $100,000, I can only imagine what the bills will be like for them. Not to mention that when you add in lost wages, things can get out of hand really quickly. I gave some money and hope some other Jalops follow suit.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > J. Walter Weatherman 01/02/2014 at 11:55

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thanks so much

Icemanmaybeirunoutofthetalents > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 12:07

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Good god, the entire left side is crushed! I'm glad they made it ok-ish out of that wreck. Fuck assholes who run stop signs like that. Hope your friends make a quick and complete recovery.

efme > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 12:08

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truck didn't stop?

DollaMoneyAve > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 12:25

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Prayers for a FULL recovery for your friends. Remind them that the mother fucker could break their bones but not their spirit.
This story angers me deeply having been in a similarly bad wreck due to the negligence of a driver who nearly killed me and my (ex)girlfriend.... He was doing 75 in a 35 on PA backroad doped on heroin which lead to a head on collision.

Singhjr96 > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 12:50

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HOLY FUCKING SHIT! that picture made me fucking cringe and shiver at the same time. Hope they're doing better now.

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 12:59

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Damn, that looks nasty... Definitely not the right way to start off the year, but I'm glad they made and that full recovery is possible.

My father was involved in a similar accident in 2001. he was the front passenger on a VW Passat, coming back to town one night, when a drunk driver in a Chevette coming the opposite way crossed the median and hit the car head on, right in the passenger's side. Despite seatbelts, airbags and crumple zones, he still suffered several skull and maxillofacial traumas and a big blood loss. We were lucky the accident happened so close to town, otherwise we would have lost him for sure. Even to this day, it's still hard to believe he made a full recovery with no more than a slight anomic aphasia as sequela.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > efme 01/02/2014 at 13:28

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that was implied in my post when I said "truck that ran a stop sign at full speed"

efme > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 13:33

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sorry I realized how that statement wasn't clear at all.

driver didn't stop after hitting them? any insurance to pay for medical bills?

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > DollaMoneyAve 01/02/2014 at 14:05

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the guy that hit them isn't faring nearly as well as they are.....

he's still alive though, so there's that; and he was extremely remorseful as early as when the firefighters were cutting him out of his old truck (early 90s F150)... I'm not gonna show his truck but it's in worse shape than the Corolla

He wasn't drunk or drugged up.. just made a boneheaded move

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > efme 01/02/2014 at 14:05

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it was a pickup truck... it didn't stop. Aside from Freightliner and International brand Semi-Truck pickups, how many pickups do you know that wouldn't have stopped?

there's insurance and they're not at fault at all...the truck driver is

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion 01/02/2014 at 14:07

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it's a process... I'm glad your pops is OK... definitely a testament to modern engineering safety

efme > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 14:12

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huh? i was just asking if the truck drivers insurance is going to cover their medical bills... not the model of the truck.

efme > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 14:17

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i don't think you're following my question at all.

I don't know if the truck was damaged beyond drivability. I'm often surprised how much damage one car gets and how little another is... If its a hit and run then the truck's obviously nowhere to be found. if he stopped after hitting them, then it is his fault and I was asking if truck driver has insurance to pay for the medical bills your friends are incurring.....

DollaMoneyAve > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 15:48

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Still, the lesson is that even the slightest bit of negligence on the road and people's lives are changed forever. It serves as a reminder that we're not driving cars, we're operating a very large projectiles capable of death and destruction.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > DollaMoneyAve 01/02/2014 at 15:55

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Agreed; also a sobering reminder that for safety, newer is better..definitely not older

"they don't make 'em like they used to" is definitely the case.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > efme 01/02/2014 at 16:00

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Ah, now you're being clearer..... so much better

It should be the case yes that the truck driver's insurance will cover... In any event, it will be their insurance covering and then the insurance going after the truck's insurance company for reimbursement. I believe that's how the system works.

It's not a hit-n-run... The reason I noted the kind of vehicle is to deduce it can't be a hit n run.... I don't possibly imagine any normal commercial vehicle (including pickup trucks) that would have been able to limp away from the scene after causing such damage to another car, considering the shape of my friends' Corolla.

DollaMoneyAve > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 16:19

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Yes definitely. "They don't make them like they used to" for many good reasons. Nostalgia has it's place in the car world, and while I dislike many of the methods and technologies in new cars, the level of safety we've achieved is astonishing.

StevenG > Bricks 01/02/2014 at 16:52

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I think some of that damage is from the firefighters cutting the car up. As per usual they cut the A pillars and pulled the car open like a tin can. The passenger cabin looks like it did its job fairly well until that happened.

Stef Schrader > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 16:52

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Holy crap. Glad they survived.

Best of luck for a quick recovery, guys. Even little accidents get expensive fast.

Phil_L > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion 01/02/2014 at 16:54

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"...when a drunk driver in a Chevette coming the opposite way..."

The Chevette didn't have crumple zones or airbags (I drove one for several years - and am glad I never had an accident in it). I doubt the drunk made it as well as your father did.

PeteRR > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 16:55

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I'm currently suffering with a broken hip. The immobility and having to rely on others is the worst part. Good luck on your rehab, the both of you.

Poundingsand > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 16:56

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Just pushed you a little closer to your goal. Wishing them a speedy recovery.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 16:57

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It might be beige, but it is a beige tank. The safety blanket of beige has been sacrificed for the safety of the occupants. Thank you, Toyota.

evilfacelessturtle (Hooning a Ford is Domestic Abuse) > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 16:58

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Why are they lucky they weren't in the Tacoma? I would think that would fare better than a Corolla.

J. Walter Weatherman > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 17:00

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Happy to help. I have been on the receiving end of lots of generosity since my accident, so the least I can do is pay it forward to a Jalop in need.

jimmyhendicks > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 17:02

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Lol fundraiser. TGF healthcare in my country. I hope he'll recover soon.

TheMyth Is Swingin' A 440 > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 17:05

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I'll donate as soon as I can, damn holidays have made my paycheck late. I was in a serious wreck just north of Cincinnati - I think it's Montgomery but I'm not 100% positive. Was paralyzed, almost died, didn't get to come home to Tennessee for 2 and a half weeks but that's better than the 6 months they said initially. I'm only mentioning this because I was in a Freightliner, working, so workman's comp has covered my medical expenses and provided my paycheck. The woman who hit us had a larger policy than normal, and I got part of that on top of the workman's comp benefits. What I'm wondering and taking a very long time to get to is: since it's a private vehicle crash, will the at fault party's insurance provide them with income while they recover? I can't imagine being hurt and stuck with out an income.

Anyways, hope and prayers for your friends, and their family and friends. Stuff like doesn't just impact the victims, it affects everyone they know.

Suburbaru > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 17:07

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My father was killed in a car accident by a truck running a stop sign. I'm so sorry this happened to your friends, and I'm so glad to hear they survived and are recovering. It amazes me how people can't be more aware and responsible when they're in control of huge dangerous machines hurtling down the road, at speeds humans weren't built to travel, that can cause injuries like these and permanently disrupt, if not end, people's lives. All the best to you guys.

dwbf11 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 01/02/2014 at 17:08

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Seriously?

You know that the Toyota Corolla (and old one, for that matter) failed the new offset crash test miserably, right?

lagwolf > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 17:08

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My best wishes to your friends & may they make a full recovery.

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > Phil_L 01/02/2014 at 17:15

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See, that's what pisses me off the most, he totally did. It was a nearly head on collision but between both passenger sides, and the other guy walked away. He later tried to sue the driver, a friend of my dad's who was in the same Master's degree study group, for damages, but gave up when he figured the accusations wouldn't stick. And that my mom would have killed him if he'd tried that.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > dwbf11 01/02/2014 at 17:19

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Seriously? They lived. That's the only test that REALLY matters.

Deven > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 17:21

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You would actually be surprised by that one I have seen or heard of a few accidents around Houston usually involving a small vehicle and a pickup that end up looking like this and the truck is nowhere to be found

J. Walter Weatherman > TheMyth Is Swingin' A 440 01/02/2014 at 17:24

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Absent some weird quirk in Ohio auto insurance law, I would suspect that lost wages are something that they can eventually sue for (assuming the driver has enough insurance coverage to even cover it), but in the short term, they will be on their own. Its times like this that friends and family (and even the occasional stranger donating to a fund on the internet) are incredibly important.

Angry Dorito > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 17:26

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Dashboard, meet roof. Roof, dashboard.

Seriously though, that's insane. Glad to know that everyone survived this horrific looking crash.

SilverBRADo totaled his beigeslushboxmatrix > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 17:27

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Slight Tangent: Even if the insurance pays all of the medical bills and reimburses for lost wages with no problems, there can be delays in payments, family members may have to take unpaid leave to take care of the injured, and there can be other expenses like travel for the family, that can be very costly.

I hope your friends fast and full recovery. I had a couple of friends who were in a wreck that left the car looking about as bad as that one and they were out of work for months and one of them lost her job because she was a temp. They also didn't get good care at the beginning of the ordeal. And the car that caused the accident was a rental with almost no insurance.

DatBomb > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 17:27

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so where's the fundraiser for that guy in the f150?? why do these people need $10K more if they're already getting money for damage and injuries from insurance? this whole "lets capitalize off the internet from unfortunate shit" is bullshit to me.

JEM > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 17:36

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Yikes that's terrible to look at. Glad your friends survived, especially with all limbs mostly intact.

Hayden Anz > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 17:37

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Good luck to your friends' recoveries. A similar situation occurred in my hometown with a close friend of mine and his mother last week. They were sitting at a stoplight and some 21 year old drunk asshole (BAC of .27%) in an Avalanche rear ended them in their Prius going between 80-100 mph. My friend passed the next morning and his mother on impact. Only one person in the car survived with a broken femur. The jerk in the truck decided to try to run away wearing only a towel.

It's tough to have to see a friend go through an accident like what happened to your friends - good luck in their recovery.

f1r3s1d3 > DatBomb 01/02/2014 at 17:37

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Agreed

GrauGeist > DatBomb 01/02/2014 at 17:49

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Maybe their insurance doesn't cover anything. Maybe they have deductibles and a shitload of out-of-pocket expenses coming.

Do you know how insurance works?

Gamecat235 > J. Walter Weatherman 01/02/2014 at 17:51

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There are also some rather limited caps depending on where you are located, what the level of coverage is, and whether the other party is insured above whatever the state mandated minimum. This can of importance especially if the other party has no tangible funds or means beyond the coverage that they had (sadly speaking from experience here).

Also, nearly everything takes time.

Gaseous Clay > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 17:56

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you are piloting multi-ton death machines that require up to four limbs to operate properly. BE MORE CAREFUL

J. Walter Weatherman > DatBomb 01/02/2014 at 17:56

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Way to be a dick.

These people are Snap's friends, and he is trying to help them out. That's what friends do. If you don't want to give money, don't, but you don't have to be an ass about it.

Also, what's to say that the friends of the guy in the F150 haven't started their own fundraiser?

Oh, and if you think that any insurance payout is going to cover all of their expenses, you are crazy. Not to mention that the payout probably wont be for a long time. And in the mean time, they still have their rent and other bills to pay, and no income to pay it with.

BKosher84 > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 17:57

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Saint V's huh? They are in good hands there (lived in Toledo for 8 years). You're two friends will be in my families prayers tonight. We'll look into donating monetarily too.

J. Walter Weatherman > Gamecat235 01/02/2014 at 18:03

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Yeah, I don't know what the requirements are in other states, but the minimum insurance requirements here in AZ are pathetically low. Its something like bodily injury coverage of $15k/person $30k an accident, and property damage of $10k/accident is memory serves me right. It is shocking to me that our state allows people to drive gigantic metal projectiles around at high rates of speed with such low amounts of coverage. That probably isn't sufficient to cover ANY accident that is severe enough to require a trip to the hospital, much less something as severe as this. It costs a bit more money, but this is why I carry healthy amounts of under insured/uninsured motorist coverage.

TheMyth Is Swingin' A 440 > J. Walter Weatherman 01/02/2014 at 18:04

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Yeah I'll be getting a settlement for lost wages and permanent disability. The workman's comp check is only a percentage of my average pay from the year leading up to the accident.

So they'll get a decent settlement in the end but until then no income. That's just terrible. I know my first days in the hospital, until the workman's comp kicked in I was really worried about income for my family and that's the last thing you need to have in your head when you're recovering.

Thanks for the info, and soon as my check comes in tonight I'll be an Internet stranger trying to help.

TheMyth Is Swingin' A 440 > J. Walter Weatherman 01/02/2014 at 18:08

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I think Ohio has those same minimums. I was lucky the woman that hit us had 100k of coverage, but that wouldn't have even covered my first 2 days in the hospital. I carry 50,000 bodily injury but as my insurance rate goes down I'll try to up it as much as I can.

Gamecat235 > J. Walter Weatherman 01/02/2014 at 18:12

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Good lord yes. The state minimums here are absolutely pathetic. And we too carry quite a bit of extra coverage policies because of it. As well as uninsured/under-insured. But in the case of an indirect job loss due to injury from a car accident and treatment, we were unable to obtain the full amount of our underinsured policy to cover all lost wages and costs, even with proper legal representation some of the mitigating factors worked against us, along with the fact that responsible party had no assets other than a house with little to no equity.

Though to be fair, I'm still really happy that we had the extra insurance. It helped quite a bit.

TheMyth Is Swingin' A 440 > Hayden Anz 01/02/2014 at 18:13

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Jesus that's horrible. I hope they hang that drunk up by his nut sack.

So sorry for your loss.

Dr.Kamiya > J. Walter Weatherman 01/02/2014 at 18:21

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I'd love to read the fundraiser for the guy in the F150.

J. Walter Weatherman > Gamecat235 01/02/2014 at 18:21

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Yeah, sadly, you are almost never made 100% whole. Hence the importance of the generosity of friends, family and the occasional internet stranger when things like this happen.

J. Walter Weatherman > Dr.Kamiya 01/02/2014 at 18:27

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Yeah, I wouldn't be too quick to condemn though. I don't know anything about this situation, but Snap said above, "He wasn't drunk or drugged up.. just made a boneheaded move." Sometimes good people just fuck up. It happens to the best of us. Just because he was the one that caused the accident doesn't mean he is an evil person, or that he doesn't need (or deserve) help.

Gamecat235 > J. Walter Weatherman 01/02/2014 at 18:27

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Indeed, were it not for family, friends and my ex-wife (long story, but we are far better as co-parents than we were as partners) it would have been a much more difficult road forward.

J. Walter Weatherman > TheMyth Is Swingin' A 440 01/02/2014 at 18:29

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Yeah, it is insane how quickly medical bills add up. I recently broke my leg (nothing else, just a broken leg) and the hospital bill alone (not even including any of the doctors) was almost $70k.

BigUglyDean > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 18:36

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If they'll accept prayers from a Deist, I offer mine to Phil and Ashley.

Left-corner head-ons are the bane where I live, up in the Sierras. Dingbats cross the yellow line on curves —- not a week goes by where I don't have to dodge some fool —- and whammo. With luck, both vehicles stay on the road; bad luck dictates at least one vehicle dropping into the gorge.

Thomas Cotrel > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 18:47

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IF the pickup truck driver was drunk he will not be able to discharge any judgment against him in bankruptcy. Anything in excess of his liability policy limits will follow him around for the rest of his life. FWIW.

lawlence > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 01/02/2014 at 18:49

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Not really. They could have been a safer vehicle that had better side impact protection which would have reduced the amount of injuries (read: expensive medical bills) that they now face.

filthflarnfilth > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 18:50

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Done and done. Tell them to hang in there, they are alive and that is all that matters.

BeaterGT > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 18:56

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Will donate what I can, I wish them a speedy recovery.

TheMyth Is Swingin' A 440 > J. Walter Weatherman 01/02/2014 at 18:57

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That is insane. The last I heard a total of my medical costs was about a year ago, and it was almost half a million. That's including the hospital, rehab, doctors (5 just since I came home), medicine, and only the first surgery. Since then my meds alone run about $2500 a month, but once again I'm incredibly fortunate in that workman's comp has to continue paying for any medical care related to my injury for the rest of my life, even after I get a settlement.

tmoura > J. Walter Weatherman 01/02/2014 at 19:16

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Man, I`m sorry to bring this to the discussion... But you americans are crazy if you think your health system makes any goddam sense...

I`m from Brazil (the country the TV show simpsons made fun of as we are a jungle full of monkeys), but even disregarding private health insurance or the (crappy) free health care system we have here, its inconceivable a broken leg bill could cost anywhere past 10k dollars... 20k tops! 100k is madness!

I think your country need put your shit together!

Who cares what the fox says? > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion 01/02/2014 at 19:52

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That is what pisses everyone off the most about drunk drivers. They so rarely are the ones who have to live with the consequences of their actions.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Thomas Cotrel 01/02/2014 at 19:53

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He was sober

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Poundingsand 01/02/2014 at 19:56

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Thanks

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > BigUglyDean 01/02/2014 at 19:58

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Any well wishes are welcome... There are way too may beliefsinmthis world to be concerned with any particular's over another's

DatBomb > J. Walter Weatherman 01/02/2014 at 20:01

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being a dick? would you call a cop a dick for shooing away homeless people from begging outside a corner store? these people got into an unfortunate accident, everybody reading this has multiple friends with something related to this happen to them. insurance is there, friends are there, but now you want $10k more from the internet? this is just nonsense! throw a proper raffle ticket fundraiser not some sob story begging ima journalist bullshit..

J. Walter Weatherman > tmoura 01/02/2014 at 20:04

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I don't think that anyone here thinks our system makes any sense. Getting people to agree on how to fix it though... good luck with that.

Cloroxbb > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 20:24

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Just wondering... I understand why they are lucky to have not been in a miata, but why are they lucky to not have been in a Tacoma?

ddavidn > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 20:42

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Thoughts and prayers for now, donation when I get a paycheck.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > ddavidn 01/02/2014 at 20:54

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You're a saint

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Cloroxbb 01/02/2014 at 20:55

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Older, worse for safety than the corolla

audiophi1e > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 21:07

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Note this is the rear of the roof...

Reckoning Day > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 21:13

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Not good obviously...but if you get hit by a so-called truck...a pickup truck, not a Kenworth mind you,..you are an evil bastard worse than Satan the Devil, and should be hung by the neck until dead, but.. if run into by a mere measly supposedly small little 'ol car....it's forgive and forget aye ?

Just a big bad 'ol Canadian's perspective.........don't kill me now, there are a lot of people whom love me up here in Iglooville.......

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > audiophi1e 01/02/2014 at 21:15

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Yes... It was cut to extract the couple

tobythesandwich > dwbf11 01/02/2014 at 21:32

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Pretty much all but a handful of cars have failed that test. It's also a new test. While the IIHS claims it to be a more "realistic" scenario, I have my doubts.

And like themanwithsauce said, they lived. That's the only test that matters.

boxrocket > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 01/02/2014 at 21:55

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Hardly a tank, but much safer than some alternatives, or older models of the same. A Mazda3 or Volvo S40 or Ford Focus (same size/weight class) would more-than-likely have fared better, but still very likely totaled, but perhaps the occupants would have been somewhat better off. Impossible to tell, of course.

Tj Wenger > audiophi1e 01/02/2014 at 21:55

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I believe its SOP for the roof to be cut off where possible in this kind of accident. You want the victims to come out as straight and stable as possible to reduce further injuries.

sdsfsgaerWF > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 22:14

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Damn shame. Safe, those pickups. Their drivers tend to be more careful too.

SwedeMachine > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 22:17

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They are over halfway there. If all Jalops gave at least $10, we could get them close their goal. My thoughts and prayers with you two. Been in their position a few years ago and was glad to give back.

startalker > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 22:18

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Theres a very important point many people seem to be missing. Insurance never covers "Everything". Insurance will cover upto what the insurer picked coverage to. For example I picked 100,000 as Medical damage in my liability. if I hit someone all insurance will pay is 100,000 after that I am on the hook. While it is true that people are able to sue insurance companies whose are usually for negligence on the part of paying out insurance. In the case of this crash the medical bills will probably be in the millions. The other guy's insurance will only pay whatever the other guy picked as his coverage. The couple will have to sue the guy to go after the rest. (assuming he even has that much money).

So second lesson of the day. Check your Insurance coverage and make sure you are covered as much as you can afford in the unfortunate event you crash into someone.

startalker > DatBomb 01/02/2014 at 22:20

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Remember insurance will only cover what you picked as the coverage. If the other guy had shitty insurance and picked 50K medical. Then thats all insurance will pay. Insurance does not mean everything is ok. Thats the single biggest mistake people make when buying insurance. Theres a reason insurance makes you pick a liability coverage.

startalker > J. Walter Weatherman 01/02/2014 at 22:24

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Remember you cannot sue the insurance company. I mean you can if you can prove some negligence in the original payout. Remember insurance does not assume liability for you. It simply covers your liability. You can sue the other driver and (assuming he has one)his home owners insurance with a liability rider might kick in. Insurance will only pay upto the coverage you and the other driver picks. This is the biggest mistake people make when thinking about insurance. You can't pick the cheapest insurance and then magically expect insurance to cover any amount.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > lawlence 01/02/2014 at 22:48

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Compare this car to any car of a similar size 10 years prior, they would've have been much more severely hurt. Then compare to to a vehicle 20 years older, then 30, then 40. My guess would be just 20 years ago, the chance of death would've been significant and permanent injuries would be a guarantee. 30 years ago, significant injuries would be a miracle and death would be assumed. 40 years ago, death. That's it. There would be no "we're lucky". It isn;t as glitzy and fun as say suspension or engine improvements, but the safety improvements made in the past 40 years are incomprehensible.

And before anyone else decides to jump on this like an idiot - yes there might be "safer" cars. They also might have been one minute late or early and avoided all of this matter. The point is that at the end of the day, the car they were in was dependable enough when they needed it the most. It is even more shocking when you consider it isn't necessarily the class leader for safety. Think about that for a second - the car that is only "average" to "above average" for safety could take a stupidly hard hit by a 2.5+ ton truck and have occupants with minor injuries. The "average" car! We enthusiasts tend to bitch about how much weight all of the safety equipment and tech adds right up until the moment it is what was between us and certain death.

bpromersberger > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 23:04

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This is a perfect example if why driving around the holidays terrifies me. I see and hear stories like this a lot this time of year, I'm just glad it wasn't worse.

I have very little money to spare, but I will donate and help in any way I can.

dsigned001 - O.R.C. hunter > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 23:05

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So glad they survived. What's the prognosis for recovery?

JohnnyWasASchoolBoy > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 01/02/2014 at 23:22

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Holy Crap.

One thing I love about Jalopnik is the massive outpouring of support for each other. When my wife and kids were T-boned three days before Christmas in 2009, I posted the story here (mostly to give thanks to GM engineers for designing a minivan with great side doors and lots of clearance). The support from the commentariat was incredible.

All the best, positive thoughts to you and your friends. I truly hope they recover well, and that this be their only trial in life.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > JohnnyWasASchoolBoy 01/02/2014 at 23:38

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I vaguely remember that... I been on for a while, myself

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > dsigned001 - O.R.C. hunter 01/02/2014 at 23:39

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Cautiously optimistic. Its gonna a long and arduous process for months