Possible whiplash suit?

Help me, Yahoo!

While approaching a stoplight, my cup holder detached from its position (something which has never to my knowledge happened before) and slid under my break pedal- therefore, despite my best efforts, I was unable to stop in time and rear-ended the car in front of me. I had already decelerated a great deal, and could not have been traveling over seven or so miles per hour when we collided.

There was absolutely no damage to either car, even to the bumper and fender. Neither airbag deployed. I got out and immediately exchanged information with the driver, a coach, and his passenger (assistant coach)- there were also two children in the back seat en route to a game. The driver reported no pain or injury whatsoever, as did the kids, but the passenger immediately began complaining of whiplash. The impact itself was so minimal that I, in a significantly smaller and lighter vehicle, could feel very little, but in his words it was a “massive jolt”.

A police report was filed, our paperwork was exchanged, and both of us went on our way (though I was given a citation for following too closely, an automatic in any Ohio rear-end collision regardless of circumstance). The incident with the cup holder was formally noted and explained in detail on said report.

That was yesterday, and since then I’ve been on pins and needles awaiting one or more injury lawsuits. I have insurance coverage, but no other real assets to speak of. I am utterly terrified by the prospect of a) being sued by the passenger, b) being sued by one or both of the kids‘ parents, or c) both.

As I mentioned, I am legally insured and have no prior accident record. My observance of the speed limit, distance placed between our cars and attempts to brake were all well within protocol.

That said, what sort of case do they have against me? Would it be wise of me to go ahead and secure legal representation just in case? I recently enlisted in the Army and am due to ship in a couple months- how could this affect those plans? Could I lose my home over this? How might I prove my case in court, and is it even worth explaining?

I’m aghast, Yahoo, and I could really use some answers. I know it’s virtually impossible to disprove whiplash, no matter how unlikely, in a court of law; am I just screwed?

I am planning to buy a bicycle to commute between home and work daily. Can u suggest something stylish?

With fuel prices as they are, I am planning to keep my car at home and pedal to work from now on. I will be using the bicycle for around 10kms daily. What should I be looking for in the bike? Any suggestions on what bike would suit my needs? I would like my bike to look stylish and stand out from the crowd.. (something like the Hercules Ryder series).. I am 26 and 6 feet in height, and so it should suit my age too (Dont want to be riding a kid’s bike).. My budget is around 10000 INR, give or take some.

Thanks,
Vikram.

How do we overcome this situation?

My daughter was on the verge of selling her car and while the paperwork was being completed, instead of taking the car to work and having it damaged, she drove mine. The logic was that her car would be safe and wouldn’t incur any dents or dings while waiting for its new owner. We shouldn’t have bothered, because shortly after the car was signed over, the new owner, a teenaged boy, who only had his license for six weeks, totaled it!

Back to me (g): somehow, at her workplace, that evening one of her younger co-workers nailed the front end of *my* car! The irony still gets to me! : /

The girl was under her parents’ insurance plan and fortunately, they DID cover it! Mine was an older vehicle and still road-worthy so they called it “betterment”. Neither my daughter nor I are clear on the exact details as she had gone into her workplace and the girl was leaving work when it happened. Apparently there was a witness who (not only refused to come forward, but…) was working on the grounds and *he* said that he heard a loud bang and when he looked up, my car was rocking. (Both the young witness *and* the girl who hit my car have since quit so there is no finding out the exact details.) From what my daughter told me, she had parked in the space (one whole lane) behind the girl’s SUV and without her looking, the girl had backed into my car.

The police were not called because, outside of the driver and her young witness, there was no one else around. My daughter did not find out about it until after the girl left her information and drove home.

We surmised that in the process of her hitting my car, she also managed to lift the front end about one and a half feet off the ground! My concern is that, with the car being dumped the way it was, that is so much more damage than initially discovered.

You see, we got that information from what looked like two little pin marks found on the back of the girl’s vehicle weeks later (she NEVER forked over any details or information concerning the incident; just her insurance information).

Now mind you, we found *that* out AFTER the initial call to the insurance company, after the paperwork was started. I spoke to one of their representatives and mentioned that, although the transmission had been worked on within the last year, it was making a clunking noise directly after the accident. (My daughter was advised to move the car to a safer location.) No one wanted to look into it; not the mechanic who did the initial work, not the insurance company, no one… When I *could* find someone who would look at it, *they* could not find anything wrong!

Because of the newly repaired transmission’s problems not being properly looked into, (it was repaired within the past year) the claim was NEVER filed with its problems listed on it!

It wasn’t until the adjustor came out to look at it, and my daughter mentioned the pin-marks found on the back of the other vehicle, and where they were, that we all realized that they were from my front plate holder! You see, our state is not required to have two plates; had a second plate been on the car, the damage would have been more evident! The insurance adjustor then told me that I could file (I think) what is called an “extended claim”; I am not sure of the exact name.

My question is this: Since meeting with her, I have since had some of the minor repairs done through a local school. My reasoning is that it *is* an older vehicle, why not give the kids the experience, *and* to be able to cover the more major expenses *just in case* more crop up.

By the way, even the kids could not find the damage to the transmission, and yet, all the signs are there! It bogs down while climbing inclines, the car whines while the gas pedal goes to the floor, and not only does the odometer rev while on the highway, but in the city streets! It takes forever to change gears and does not even want to shift manually! It has now gotten to the point where it is getting harder and harder to stop the car and I am now concerned about extensive wear and tear on the brakes!

Along with all of that, I also now have a driver’s seatbelt latch that constantly sticks (makes me sick to my stomach to think of what could happen with *that*!) and wiper blades that mash into the windshield! You have to tinker with the controls for both the heat and the AC. I suspect that could be loose hoses, loose connection or knobs or all of the above. Little things that are *still* connected to the incident, but not claimed because they were found later.

I am a bit hesitant to file a claim for these because I do not need my car to be declared totaled. It still runs and in spite of the above, is still in good shape.

Therefore, here is my dilemma:

1. Is it too late to file a claim for *those* items?

2. Because it is considered a “betterment”, I imagine I would have had to use the higher end articles; correct?

3. In addition, since t
Therefore, here is my dilemma:

1. Is it too late to file a claim for *those* items?

2. Because it is considered a “betterment”, I imagine I would have had to use the higher end articles; correct?

3. In addition, since that is the case, would they then ask to see my receipts because I had only used the kids at the school to knock out a few dings for me while waiting to see if there was any possible damage to the transmission?

4. Will I be nailed for not using a reputable mechanic for the minor work?

5. Would the insurance company allow me to file an extended claim for the transmission, as the accident happened last summer?

6. Would they cover any further claims now?

7. If they do *not* cover it, would I then get into trouble for covering the transmission with the money that was meant for a ding or two, for “betterment purposes”, although the transmission is much more important, but for some odd reason, not covered?

Why is my engine clicking when I driving?

My engine starts to click when I’m driving my car. It is a 1994 Caprice 9C1. The clicking noise sounds like a kids bike with a baseball card clipped by the wheel or a typewriter. It only makes the noise when I’m driving. The car also idles very hard. It jerks back and forth while stopped, or close to a stop. To switch gears on the car once you get it to the point you think it’s time to switch gears you have to release your foot off the gas pedal and let it change. When you are stopped in park reverse works great, but when you put it in drive/overdrive it sits for roughly 3 to 5 seconds before jerking into gear. The transmission fluid is very dirty, and on the dash it often shows low oil pressure. I’m thinking all of this could be tied together, anyone that’s had this problem or knows what’s wrong let me know. Possibly a list of things to check, or change. I plan to drain the transmission fluid but I’m debating on a flush since it is so dirty.

Should i buy a motorcycle or not?

Here’s my situation, I’m 17 years old, and i rode dirt bikes and motorcycles as a kid. I’ll be graduating high school next December. I have a car but I’m planning on giving it to my sister when i move out for college because it’s very busy around the university and i don’t want to pay for car parking in the dorms. I’m thinking about getting a motorcycle because they are good on gas, cheap, and it would be better than using public transportation. i think it would cost me around $200 a month total for a motorcycle which is about what I’m paying for my car insurance now. I can’t decide whether or not to buy one or if it would be better to just get a pedal bike or something.