Hi guys & dolls,
I'm hoping someone out there can help me out a bit here. As some of you are aware through a couple of my postings I had myself a spill in early august where I hit dirt & debris on a roundabout, hit the curb, crashed & snapped my shoulder blade. My problem is this......I went to see a lawyer on Tuesday (late posting this as my computer shit itself on the same day) who has told me that I have no case as it would be too difficult to find someone liable for the accident as I wasn't hit by another vehicle. The thing that shits me with this is that I had been advised that I would be viable for compensation from the ambulance drivers, nurses and other folk. I met an old work mate a few weeks back at the shops who advised he crashed on a roundabout and was compensated for his injuries but I'm unsure if it was a solo crash or what and don't have details to get in contact with him. I had friends telling me to go to a lawyer and I had been hesitant about it (I openly admit) but decided to proceed after being advised to do it by the investigating officer of the Kwinana Crash investigation unit. The lawyer reckons the police officer doesn't know what he's talking about.
I'm feeling pretty crappy and confused, I was under the understanding that my medical bills & physio etc would be covered by the Insurance Commission under the third party prtion of the license, the lawyer said this is wrong & told me to call them. I'm covered for emergency treatment in hospital & the ambulance only. I'm going to get slugged with the bills and I have not been at work for 11 weeks with another five to go so there's no income.
Yes, I was in a solo accident but I was not charged with anything, had not had a drop of alcohol and the officer who investigated the crash (turned up as I was being carted to the ambo) told me his partner had to sweep the road because it was so dangerous!!!!!
W.T.F???
I don't do anything wrong and i'm told "too bad, so sad"????
Any of you guys got any info or advice at all? Been in similar situations or know of people who have fought this crap??
I have decided to get the police report under the Freedom of Information act (free my ass! You get slugged to get the info!) to see exactly what it says. I will add that I know a lot of you blokes don't like coppers but the bloke I was dealing with was brilliant and I wouldn't be surprised at all if he'd volunteer to back me in court.
Anyway, hope someone can help me here!
How the heck do I keep getting stuck in the quote box???
RKC, thanks for that fantastic feedback! Would never have thought of asking the officer if he had any recommendations for good lawyers for it. You're right too "no win, no fee"
Looks like I better start looking for a lawyer who is prepared to see this through and take on the council. I'm hitting the "Freedom of Information" site today to get a copy of the police report & any photo's (I do have a feeling though that none were taken). I do have my own photos of the approach etc and where it actually happened plus curb damage where I hit which I took a week later, obviously it doesn't have all the crap that had been on the road at the time but it's a start. I still maintain that if it had been a sloping curb and not a square one I would have most likely just continued on my way or would have been able to brake enough that i wouldn't have busted any bones.
The lawyer had said "If I had been going slower I might not have had a crash".........pardon me? It was an 80km zone, dual lane roundabout & I was doing about 40km, any slower and I would expect to be charged for being a hazard to other drivers! Give me a freakin' break
"Just dont give up because of one or two lazy solicitors." Too damn right
