Nine months later: Success in the form of a check

Remember my car crash this last winter? "I didn't see you coming" dude, my super-helpful insurance company, and my general anger over the entire situation last December?

The crash came down to a simple chain of events, for those of you who don't remember:

Me: driving in alley.

Jeep (with Dumbass at the wheel): pulls out, coming head on towards me.

Civic and Jeep about three feet apart.

Me: Split-second decision: Hit large truck or swerve car. Instincts screaming don't hit other cars, especially when the grill is at eye-level. Swerve executed.

Me: Anti-lock brakes whirring, tires sliding on ice, garage wall brings everything to a halt.


I did not believe the accident was my fault which put me in direct opposition to dumb-ass Jeep driver, my insurance agent, and Dumbass's insurance company. Even so, I demanded that my insurance company go after Dumbass's for part of my $1000 deductible. After much investigation (part of which was to determine if Dumbass's story lie, was legit), picture taking in the alley, insurance company haggling, and finally official arbitration between the insurance companies, I got a letter in the mail yesterday, September 11:


AHHHH! The sweet feeling of success.

As it turns out, it was ruled that I was not at fault in the crash. Had Dumbass not pulled out without looking, I would have continued the remaining 20 feet down the alley and been on my merry way. I would not have had to slam on my breaks and choose between him and garages, would not have skidded on ice, or been boxed in to a no-win situation.

Vindication! $1000 to repay my deductible, along with the other $4000 the insurance company paid to fix my car, along with the rental fee my insurance company gave to me every day of the four weeks my car was in the shop, along with the money it took my insurance company to repair the garage, will all be paid by Dumbass's insurance company, and you can bet, by Dumbass himself.

I think I would feel sad for him, had Dumbass not a) pretended he had nothing to do with me crashing b) had wanted to flee the scene "since there was less than $500 worth of damage" and c) lied on record to his insurance company about the configuration of his garage to the alley, the direction he was driving, and other miscellany "facts".

And as it also turns out, nearly nine months of waiting for an outcome does nothing to smother the sweet feeling of success.