great looking site
im hoping some of you might be able to give me your opinions.
last august, i was driving in burney california. i was in my completely restored 1967 ford mustang coupe. i was hit at 55mph by a fully loaded sierra pacific industries logging truck. the car was struck in the passenger side front quarter, and the car hung up and was actually DRAGGED by the side of the trailer for approx. 80ft . the driver of the logging truck fled the scene, but turned himself in about 3 hours later with his boss from the logging mill. he stated that he "did not see me" and that "he hadnt a clue that he had hit me" (which is in direct contradiction of what witnesses said. they stated the driver actually stuck his head out of the drivers side window and looked back at me,plus, i have several relatives that drive truck, as well as an uncle that owns a large trucking company, all state that from there experience, it would have been impossible for the driver to have NOT known that he had hit me). california highway patrol responded to the scene, and took a report, finding the driver 100% at fault for the accident under (CVC) 21658(A) which states "whenever any roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes,for traffic in one direction, the following rules apply :(a)a v ehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicle entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until such movment can be made with reasonable safety"
BUT, the driver of the vehicle was not cited (more on that later)
the accident caused several thousand dollars wirth of damage to my classic car (of which i was fully covered, and my insurance paid the bill, to collect from sierra pacific later)
the CHP officer that responded to the accident came to my house later in the evening of the day of the accident. he told me the driver had turned himself in, and stated he didnt see me before he hit me (admitting guilt) and had found out later that the CHP was searching for a log truck that had hit and run a vehicle, checked his truck and found paint transfer ( sounds fishy doesnt it?) so he turned himself in. we live in a series of smaller mountain communities, so everyone pretty much knows everyone. the CHP, when i questioned him about the trucks driver ADMITTED TO ME IN FRONT OF WITNESS that he and the driver of the log truck had been friends for years and that he wouldnt site the driver as if he did, the driver would loose his drivers license and job and it would destroy his family. when i stated to the CHP officer that i would be sueing and that he would be compelled to come to court and tell the truth about his relationship with the driver of the semi, his exact words were "good luck, im retiring in two weeks, and moving to washington. i wont come back even under court order".
now,at the time of the accident, i was shaken up. i comlained to the CHP and the responding sheriff that i had pain in my upper back and neck. i didnt take an ambulance ride as i had to get my classic car towed and home. i went to the ER afterwards, and have had to make several other trips since. my left shoulder was also sore from the wreck, but i didnt think much of it at the time (you get hit by a loaded log truck at 55, and your GONNA be sore..lol)...well, over time, my shoulder would get better, then worse, then better, then worse, to the point i got up one morning and couldnt move my arm. i went to the dr, who stated that it was his opinion that my shoulder problems were in direct relation to the wreck, and that i had to see an orthopeadic specialist, who informed me that i have to have surgery (which im going in to have this morning) on the shoulder ( which i had a previous rotator cuff done on 22 + years ago. never bothered me since). no telling how long the recovery time will be from the surgery ( authroscopic) nor how much if any perm. disabilities ill have from it. i am a licensed hunting and fishing guide, and it is the beginning of my busy season, and i wont be able to take any of my clients out fishing. hunting season starts in september, and i may miss that too as i shoot left handed and the surgery is going to be on my left shoulder, the same shoulder i rest a rifle butt on to shoot. one other thing. i have some horendus nightmares about this wreck. if youve ever seen the horror movie "final destination 2" and the scene where the logging truck dumps a whole load of logs off of the back of his truck at about 55, you get the jist of what my dreams are like.(look for final destination 2 logging truck on youtube)
my question is this. there is absolutely no doubt who caused the accident, the driver admitted that he had hit me but "didnt see me or know it",my car has since been repaired,etc. i have a very good personal injury lawyer ( he got my wife $350,000 on a workers comp case in california), but we havent had the oprotunity to really discuss case worth yet. he does say that i will get a bundle, but doesnt say how much the bundle may be.
i know that its virtually impossible to gauge a case by a quick summary such as thins, but anyone have any ideas what sort of monetary value something like this has?.....sierra pacific industries is one of the largest logging companies out there, and have enough money that they are "self insured". they own/lease the majority of the forrests in california.
any ideas would be greatly appreciated
