While I slowly began to build up my client list again in the real estate world and return to some semblance of normalcy in my family life, I continued to deal with incredible pain in my right foot and ankle caused by my car accident. I had accepted that the insurance company had found me at fault, even though I had a nagging feeling that there was something wrong with that assumption. I wanted to put the accident behind me and get on with my life. The surgeon had told us that the injury to my ankle was "bad" so I ignored the fact that the pain continued to be worse than my doctors said it should be at that point.
Then, I got a phone call. It was from the sister of the gentleman (should I call him that?) that had been in the accident with me. It had been just less than two years since it had happened. I had one of the Charlie Brown moments while she talked to me. You know the one where the adults talk and they sound like, "Wah, wah, wah, wah,wah,?" I had to ask her to repeat what she had said. My legs got weak as I heard her tell me that her brother was bragging about "ripping that woman off" from the car accident. I had to sit down. I began to cry softly as she said that he told her he had been able to buy a new house even though he was drunk when he hit my car. He had lied to the policemen about trying to avoid the accident. He told her he didn't even see my car. He was too drunk.
Let me back up for a minute. There were people that actually witnessed the accident that day in the fall of 1995. I heard comments from them like, "I just thought you couldn't see his car because of the truck in front of you blocking your view. You were on that curve, you know." What? I had to admit, I went back to the scene of the accident, exactly where it occurred, envisioned a large truck being in front of me, and could see how it would totally block my vision. The turn into the store parking lot was right in that curve. There were those that thought it was the sun in my eyes, like the police officer that talked to my husband about the accident.
Now, I was being told by this man's sister that he had lied to the police about his part in the accident, had indeed been intoxicated, and had caused financial ruin to me while gaining a new home. His wife's injuries were caused by her wearing her seat belt incorrectly. That was not my fault, but I was blamed for that, also. I had no one to advocate for me. No one had called an attorney to represent me. I had apologized to the policeman, after all.
His sister told me that she could not keep quiet. Her conscience was hurting. She had checked with a paralegal friend that told her I had two years to file a lawsuit against her brother. It took a lot of courage to make this phone call to me. I thanked her and hung up. I put my head on my arms, sitting at the kitchen table and sobbed. My husband had been listening to my side of the conversation, which didn't contain many words. Now, he wanted to know what the phone call was about. I told him, and he just looked at me, wide-eyed, speechless.
My grief rapidly became anger. Strangely, I wasn't angry at the drunk driver. After all, he got away with it. Why shouldn't he? I was angry at the policeman that didn't require blood to be drawn or a breathalizer test at the scene of the accident. He chose to wait so long after the accident when we had arrived at the hospital, and gave him a "field test". I was angry at my husband for not fighting for me. I was angry because I knew I had RSD due to this car wreck and that my life would never be the same.
I made a decision right then and there. I would not pursue any lawsuit. It would be a grueling ordeal. Who knows how long it would take? There were still too many unknowns about the whole situation. Would this sister even testify in court? Probably not. No. I was going to put it behind me and move ahead as I had decided before the phone call. I was going to overcome the pain, without ever mentioning RSD to my family, listing real estate for sellers, as I had before the wreck, making money to support my family. I was strong, and I was going to overcome any obstacles put before me, as I always had.
To be continued...
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