Thank you all for the good wishes
A big thank you to everyone for their kind comments and concerns and advice.
My background puts me in a very good position to deal with accidents. 12 years as a police officer and the last few as the Accident Reconstructionist for my department. I was on 24 hour call for all fatalities that happened in my jurisdiction to include accidents and homicides involving automobiles as a weapon. When I left law enforcement I ran my own business investigating accidents and reconstructing them for more than a decade.
I have seen the games insurance companies play to avoid paying a claim first hand. I have also seen the games people play trying to commit fraud on the insurance companies. It is one of those things that most folks do not have enough knowledge and experience to solve, and I include police and insurance adjusters in this group as they are able to go as far as their training allows but may not know they are wrong. In many cases they are just incorrect in their conclusions and are doing so with no ill will. When dealing with adjusters and police in something like this I initially let them know of my background and standing as an expert and volunteer assistance with their efforts to get to the bottom of things. Since I offer to assist and generally have a very well prepared statement prior to talking with them my offer is met with positive actions on their part and am considered an asset to their case rather than an impediment.
It appears I have made some friends at the local police department by saving evidence that was on my person, having a nicely typed statement that could be used to write the narrative portion of the accident report and asking if I could also examine the pickup that hit me and volunteering my insight into the matter for their consideration. This was met in a very positive way and I will travel to see the vehicles with the deputy on Monday morning.
In order to preserve the evidence I will not touch any thing on the other vehicle but by looking I might be able to point out things that they are unaware of.
Again thanks to all the folks that responded to offer well wishes and advice it is greatly appreciated!
A big thank you to everyone for their kind comments and concerns and advice.
My background puts me in a very good position to deal with accidents. 12 years as a police officer and the last few as the Accident Reconstructionist for my department. I was on 24 hour call for all fatalities that happened in my jurisdiction to include accidents and homicides involving automobiles as a weapon. When I left law enforcement I ran my own business investigating accidents and reconstructing them for more than a decade.
I have seen the games insurance companies play to avoid paying a claim first hand. I have also seen the games people play trying to commit fraud on the insurance companies. It is one of those things that most folks do not have enough knowledge and experience to solve, and I include police and insurance adjusters in this group as they are able to go as far as their training allows but may not know they are wrong. In many cases they are just incorrect in their conclusions and are doing so with no ill will. When dealing with adjusters and police in something like this I initially let them know of my background and standing as an expert and volunteer assistance with their efforts to get to the bottom of things. Since I offer to assist and generally have a very well prepared statement prior to talking with them my offer is met with positive actions on their part and am considered an asset to their case rather than an impediment.
It appears I have made some friends at the local police department by saving evidence that was on my person, having a nicely typed statement that could be used to write the narrative portion of the accident report and asking if I could also examine the pickup that hit me and volunteering my insight into the matter for their consideration. This was met in a very positive way and I will travel to see the vehicles with the deputy on Monday morning.
In order to preserve the evidence I will not touch any thing on the other vehicle but by looking I might be able to point out things that they are unaware of.
Again thanks to all the folks that responded to offer well wishes and advice it is greatly appreciated!