The Shoulder
The Shoulder
59
steady-hare-397

Sober for 2 years, hit by a drunk driver last week. The irony is not lost on me.

I'll keep this short because honestly I'm still processing everything.

About two years ago I had a real wake-up call with alcohol. Nothing that hurt anyone else, thankfully, but enough to make me completely turn my life around. I quit drinking, did everything I was supposed to do, and genuinely became a better, healthier person because of it. I'm proud of that work.

Fast forward to last Tuesday. I'm coming home from a late shift, totally sober, and I get T-boned at a green light by someone who apparently could barely walk when the police got to him. My truck got pushed halfway into a ditch. I ended up with a cracked rib, a badly sprained wrist, and a mild concussion. The other driver was taken away in an ambulance before I even finished giving my statement.

The officer asked if I'd been drinking. And for the first time in a situation like that, I got to say no and mean it — and have nothing to hide. That felt strange and significant at the same time.

Here's the part I can't stop thinking about: I'm not furious at the other driver. I feel like I understand something about where he is in life. I hope he faces real consequences, gets real help, and that nobody else gets hurt by him down the road. But rage? I don't have it.

What I am confused about is the practical side of all this. My truck is probably totaled, I've missed several shifts, and I have no idea how to even begin dealing with insurance when the other driver may not have adequate coverage.

Has anyone been through something like this? Where do you even start?

11replies

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11 replies

  • 17
    mellow-newt-509

    If the other driver was DUI and caused the accident, his liability coverage (assuming he has any) should be your first source of recovery. But here's the thing — a lot of impaired drivers are either uninsured or carrying bare minimum limits. Pull out your own policy and look for Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage. That's what it's literally there for. Your own insurer handles it but they still don't always volunteer that information upfront.

    • 20
      steady-elk-716

      I just want to say — the self-awareness in this post is really something. Two years of hard work, and you're responding to something genuinely unfair with this much grace. I hope you have people around you right now. Please don't try to handle all the insurance and legal stuff alone on top of recovering physically.

  • 16
    steady-lynx-623

    First thing: do NOT give a recorded statement to any insurance company — including your own — until you know what you're dealing with. They will ask you leading questions about how you're feeling and use 'I'm doing okay' against you later when you're still treating that rib. I learned this the hard way. Just tell them you're still under medical care and not ready to give a statement yet.

    • 1
      careful-walker149

      Thanks for sharing. Hope things are getting a little easier for you.

  • 11
    calm-tern-861

    Stop waiting to feel ready and call a personal injury attorney this week. You've got medical bills, lost wages, and a totaled truck. The emotional peace you've found is beautiful, but it doesn't pay for any of that. You can be compassionate toward the other driver AND still pursue every dollar you're owed. Those two things aren't in conflict.

  • 9
    mellow-crane-084

    A few practical things worth doing right now if you haven't: (1) Get the police report number and order a copy as soon as it's available — usually a few days. (2) Start a running log of every symptom, every missed work shift, every medical visit. Even a notes app works. (3) Keep every receipt related to the accident — prescriptions, copays, anything. Documentation is everything in these claims and it's almost impossible to reconstruct later.

  • 8
    clear-lynx-001

    I know this is a lot, but the fact that you walked away — cracked rib and all — from a T-bone bad enough to push your truck into a ditch is genuinely remarkable. And the clarity you have right now about who you are and the work you've done? Nobody can take that from you. That 'I have nothing to hide' moment you described sounds like it mattered.

    • 4
      patient-driver520

      This is exactly what I needed to read today. Thank you.

  • 7
    sharp-swift-897

    The emotional part of what you're describing — that weird lack of anger — I felt that after my accident too and it really threw me off. People kept asking if I was furious and I just... wasn't. I think sometimes shock does that, and sometimes you genuinely arrive at a place of understanding faster than you expect. Either way it doesn't mean you don't deserve full accountability from everyone involved.

  • 7
    silent-beaver-417

    Please take the concussion seriously. I know it can feel like 'just a headache' a few days out, but concussion symptoms can shift and worsen over the first couple of weeks — sleep disruption, mood changes, light sensitivity, memory stuff. Make sure your doctor has it documented and follow up if anything changes. Don't let the rib and wrist distract from it just because it's invisible on an x-ray.

    • 7
      swift-marten-281

      Not legal advice, but since the other driver was allegedly impaired, this could involve more than just a standard liability claim. Some states allow for additional damages in drunk driving cases. Worth at least having a free consultation with a PI attorney before you settle anything — most won't charge unless they recover for you. Just don't sign any releases from any insurer until you've done that.