my century, dog crash

[ilima]

Wow, Miranda. I am glad you are well enough to post.

But please, please get your insurance involved. You are going to have significant medical costs, you are going to lose income (maybe your job, cuz who knows in this economy whether they'll hold it for you), and you may have lasting, permanent damage for which you deserve to be compensated. Not to mention if your face ends up with permanent scarring.

Seriously. I'm not the lawsuit type, but you are due some serious pain & suffering and loss of income $$$.

Watch out for the dog owner's insurance company trying to give you the bum's rush & sign your rights away to get just a dribble of money.

Heal well!!!!

[OakLeaf]

get your insurance involved.

Your insurance will be involved as soon as they receive the ER claim. They'll send you a subrogation form they haven't already. But they will be looking out ONLY for their interests, NOT for yours. Once they've recovered whatever fraction of your medical expenses they pay, they are done.

Your insurance company won't get you any recovery for your lost wages; pain and suffering; any recovery for permanent scarring; any replacement of your gear which it sounds like is too small an amount to submit to your homeowners'/renters' insurance. If you need a lot of therapy for your shoulder (sounds likely) and your insurance doesn't cover it (in general pretty likely with most insurance plans), they won't help you get recovery for that, either.

Get an attorney of your own. At least talk to someone; nearly all plaintiffs' firms won't charge you for an initial consultation.

[Jo-n-NY]

Miranda...so sorry to hear about your crash. A few years ago my season ended on Labor Day because of a crash where I fratured my shoulder. I put my mtn bike on the trainer because it was easier to get on and off and pedeled sitting upright because my arm was in a sling. It mentally felt good to keep my legs spinning.

I think that was a horrilbe attitude of the dog owner. Something needs to be done, not just for you and your future and what you will intail during recovery, but for any other cyclist that rides past their house.

BTW...I often thought if keeping my shoulder mobile would have been better because PT was so painful as my shoulder was stuck and I still do not have full range of motion. Then again it might be different with a collarbone than a shoulder.

as you have heard from others, take time to heal

~ JoAnn

[Fredwina]

The way it was explained to me was that the time you spend with the joint immoblie is a comprise - it better for healing to keep it immoblie, but the more you keep it immoblie, the more (and more painful) PT you need to recover your ROM

[Miranda]

Thanks for those added thoughts. The support really helps. And it gives me some more things to think about.

At least for now I have worked out getting my MRI test, PT evaluation, and follow-up doctor's appointment. I visited the site where I will get my MRI and chatted with the tech too. That made me feel better about it. The unknown in itself can be a scary thing sometimes. Think I'll be ok for the test now (& doc did order sedation, good thing).

Back to Advil and ice for now.

Miranda

[emily_in_nc]

Miranda, I am so very sorry to hear about your crash! I had a dog-induced crash in 2005 while training for a century. I have posted about it many times on this forum, but here was a post I looked up that detailed what I did to recoup my expenses and my experience talking with a lawyer. Not sure if the link will post the entire thread or my exact post, but if the entire thread comes up, look at page 3 for my long post.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...vis#post414919

I certainly wish you the best. I will never be 100% but am riding again, running, hiking, etc.

Take good care and heal well,

Emily

[malkin]

That sounds like a wicked wreck.

Take care. It can take a long time and it probably seems like forever.

[ilima]

Your insurance will be involved as soon as they receive the ER claim. They'll send you a subrogation form they haven't already. But they will be looking out ONLY for their interests, NOT for yours. Once they've recovered whatever fraction of your medical expenses they pay, they are done.

Your insurance company won't get you any recovery for your lost wages; pain and suffering; any recovery for permanent scarring; any replacement of your gear which it sounds like is too small an amount to submit to your homeowners'/renters' insurance. If you need a lot of therapy for your shoulder (sounds likely) and your insurance doesn't cover it (in general pretty likely with most insurance plans), they won't help you get recovery for that, either.

Get an attorney of your own. At least talk to someone; nearly all plaintiffs' firms won't charge you for an initial consultation.

Her insurance company can get the ball rolling as far as legal responsibility. I'd probably contact my homeowner's insurance first.

I don't think a lawyer is a must have, however.