The Shoulder
The Shoulder
54
sharp-finch-741

Rolled my truck alone on a back road at night — still processing what happened to me

I don't really know why I'm posting this. Maybe I just need to get it out somewhere that isn't my family's group chat, because every time I bring it up my mom cries and I end up comforting her instead of dealing with my own stuff.

It's been about ten days. I was driving home from a late shift on a rural two-lane road — one I've taken probably a thousand times. A deer came out of nowhere and I swerved. The shoulder crumbled. My truck went sideways down an embankment and rolled. I don't remember the actual rolling. I remember the deer. Then I remember being upside down, or at least tilted enough that it felt that way, and not being able to figure out which direction was up.

The weird part that keeps replaying in my head: I was totally calm. Almost eerily calm. I unbuckled and kind of fell/crawled to the passenger window, which had shattered out. I remember cutting my palm on the glass and not feeling it at all. I just kept thinking get out, get out, get out.

I made it to the road and flagged down a pickup maybe ten minutes later. The driver stopped and called 911. I sat on the asphalt and stared at my truck while we waited. I couldn't even feel scared yet.

At the hospital they found a cracked rib, a mild concussion, and soft-tissue stuff in my neck and shoulder. They sent me home the same night.

Now I'm home, sore everywhere, and the fear is hitting me retroactively — like my brain delayed it. I also have zero idea what to do about the truck, the medical bills, or really anything. Anyone been through something like this?

15replies

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15 replies

  • 19
    silent-raven-643

    Whatever you do, don't give a recorded statement to any insurance company right now — not even your own — without understanding what you're agreeing to. They will call you, they will sound friendly and routine, and they will ask questions designed to get you to minimize your injuries while you're still in shock and not even sure how hurt you are yet. You have time. You don't have to talk to them this week.

    • 4
      hopeful-survivor284

      That lines up with what my adjuster told me too.

  • 19
    quiet-mole-763

    Was there any other vehicle involved, or was this purely a single-vehicle accident from swerving for the deer? And do you know if the road shoulder condition was documented by the police? I'm not doubting your story at all — I'm just wondering if there's more to the liability picture than it seems on the surface. Sometimes those 'crumbling shoulder' situations actually involve road maintenance negligence.

    • 10
      kind-optimist107

      This is really helpful — thank you for posting it.

  • 18
    quiet-vole-741

    Three things: get a copy of the police report ASAP, don't post anything about the accident on any social media, and call your insurance company to report it but don't go into detail about your injuries yet. You need to know how hurt you actually are before you start putting numbers or descriptions on it. Cracked rib plus concussion plus soft tissue is not a 'walk it off' situation — give yourself time to see where this lands medically before you close anything out.

    • 10
      honest-wanderer943

      Curious whether you did this on your own or had help with it.

  • 15
    spry-wolf-615

    I know it probably doesn't feel like it yet, but the fact that you had the presence of mind to unbuckle, get yourself out, and flag someone down? That's remarkable. Your brain kept you alive when it counted. The fear coming in late just means you're finally safe enough to feel it.

    • 8
      restless-road-soul177

      This thread is gold. Thanks everyone.

  • 9
    patient-elk-067

    The delayed fear is so real and nobody talks about it enough. I walked away from my accident thinking I was totally fine emotionally, then about a week later I had a full breakdown in a grocery store parking lot because someone honked at me. Your nervous system is just catching up to what your body already survived. It's normal, even if it doesn't feel normal.

    • 14
      sharp-hare-305

      Please keep a close eye on that concussion over the next couple weeks. 'Mild' doesn't mean 'over.' Symptoms like mood swings, trouble sleeping, sensitivity to light or noise, and that delayed emotional processing you're describing can all be part of it. If anything gets worse instead of better, go back in — don't just wait it out. Also with the neck and shoulder soft-tissue injuries, make sure you're following up with someone, not just the ER discharge papers. Those injuries have a way of revealing themselves more fully once the initial shock wears off.

    • 20
      daring-grouse-239

      A few practical things worth doing now even if you're not sure you want to pursue anything legally: write down everything you remember about the accident while it's fresh — road conditions, time, what you saw, what happened after. Take photos of your injuries, the cut on your hand, any bruising as it develops. Keep every document — the ER paperwork, any bills, your insurance cards, the police report number. Even if you decide you don't need a lawyer, having that stuff organized protects you. And if the deer-and-road-condition angle involves any county road maintenance issues, that's something worth looking into.

  • 9
    careful-lynx-436

    I used to work claims and I'll back up what the person above said. The early call isn't about helping you — it's about getting information locked in before you know the full picture. Soft tissue and concussion symptoms often evolve significantly in the first few weeks. If you've already told an adjuster you're 'doing okay' and then you need physical therapy for three months, that early statement will be used against you. Just be careful.

    • 6
      weary-wanderer502

      Wish I had seen this a month ago — would have saved me a lot of stress.

  • 7
    candid-beaver-657

    The thing about ending up comforting your family instead of being comforted — I felt that so much. You literally almost died and now you're managing other people's feelings about it. Please find at least one person or one space (even this forum) where you're allowed to just be the one who's scared. You earned that.

    • 6
      tired-commuter978

      That lines up with what my adjuster told me too.