Some things are just meant to be easy. Straight forward, easy and hassle free. Like the time when I was so rushed and distracted while reversing out of my mum’s driveway that I didn’t notice my sister’s partner driving in. Even at a few kilometres an hour speed I hit his front end. It wasn’t nice. I was sorry. He understood. And the next part was supposed to be easy. Dead easy.
I immediately contacted my insurance company, made the claim, paid my excess and considered the job done. Easy. Yet, the next part was far from easy. A few weeks later the phone calls began. Demanding, arrogant and almost threatening phone calls that did not stop, even when I kept insisting that the matter was being handled by my insurance company.
Phone calls that were followed one school holiday morning by a debt collector almost bowling down my front door. I was petrified. The boys were home, all of us in our pj’s, waiting to catch a movie with friends in the afternoon and this man was demanding I open up so he could serve me papers. Serve me what??
There was no way I was opening my door. Let alone to one angry and infuriated stranger. He left the papers at my door step. When I opened the envelope I found out, with a gut sinking feeling, that I had be summoned to the Magistrate’s Court. I felt like I was going to pass out.
Something that was meant to be easy had escalated and now was complicated and felt very much out of control. A very long story cut short and it turns out that a few lies, a very questionable panel beater and an interesting insurance company acting on his behalf thought the simple straight forward insurance game was not something they wanted to play. Let alone play by the rules.
My insurance company was supportive, understanding and reliable and their team of lawyers sorted everything out in the end. But the end was a long way off. There were meetings, lots of papers to sign, an endless stream of phone calls and angst. Lots of angst.
What made matters worse? My sister’s partner was innocent in all this. He had no idea that any of these shenanigans were going on until I told him and even then the avalanche had detached and he couldn’t stop the fall out.
What started out as something simple and easy turned into a very long drawn out headache that pulsed in the background of my mind for so many months of this year. Even when I knew my insurance company and their lawyers were taking care of things, I still couldn’t find rest in my mind till I absolutely knew it was all over.
It did end. Compensation, cars and insurance companies all were sorted out. I will be more careful reversing out my mum’s driveway. And if there ever is a next time, for whatever reason, I will be quick to get myself some legal advice right away. For some situations are meant to be easy and if they are not, then you need to get the right people on board to make sure it is easy.
Do you have any car accident stories to share?
Even silly little ones reversing out of your mum’s driveway?
Disclosure: This post was written in collaboration with Firths The Compensation Lawyers. Their team of lawyers are compensation specialists and have recovered over $1 billion in compensation for tens of thousands of Australians. All opinions expressed are my own.
