[Zeke]

As many may remember, my '88 Carrera was rear ended while my wife was driving alone. I fixed the car, lost interest and sold it. She suffered a back injury. After a visit to an emergency clinic, went to her doc. He told her she needed an orthopedic.

Well, it turned out that no decent orthopods will take an accident case unless you give them YOUR insurance info. Sure enough, the office cleared with our health ins co and treatment began early in 2010. So, we are out of pocket quite a bit for the various deductibles for PT and office visits. And the injury lingers as they all do although she is getting by OK.

We have a family attorney who has monitored the situation. I talked to him today. He tells me that soft tissue injuries are a tough case to pursue. I believe that. So the plan as of today is to negotiate directly with the at fault's company. They paid for the physical damage and I have not relinquished my right to a claim for value depreciation, but I know that's a long shot. I might bring it up once just for the factor.

We need a settlement to cover out-of-pocket. The attorney says to let the ins cos fight it out amongst themselves for the money paid to medical claims. I'm fine with that. We need a settlement for time and travel to PT which we will document along with the deductibles paid. And I think my wife deserves some compensation for the ensuing problems over the last year, the ones that are hard to prove. I know about it, of course.

So here's the question to the legal eagles that can't dispense legal advice and those of you that may have been in a like situation. As I said, I can go back to the attorney anytime, but he is giving me the go ahead for now. Do I get to "represent" my wife?

What tactic? Attorney says "presentation, presentation." He gives me a chance of getting xK as a "make it go away" fee. I always figured more, but I've never been injured, so what do I know? He says they will come at me with xxxx right off. (I hope he meant over and beyond actual out-of-pocket.)

Oh, and for you guys that say why pursue a settlement? Things like a new orthopedic bed have been indirect but yet direct? expenses. No prescription for that, but it had to be done. We won't make any profit here.