Backing It Up

So....in an effort to distract myself from the news I thought I would write some blog postings that focus on my own reality. So...let's back up to Friday. Oh Friday...it was a day that was chalked full of things to get done and be done and while I was out and about something not so great happened: I was rear ended.

I was working my way through a construction zone and they moved everyone from three lanes down to two. It was chaos and no one was moving at that fast of a pace. Thankfully. I was in the inside lane and stopped when I looked up in time to see a car getting closer and closer and closer.

Crud. This car was not going to stop in time.

BAM.

Yeah. She ran smack into me. Traffic was still stopped so I tossed it into park and jumped out to ask if she would mind going to a side street and pulling over there to exchange information. I felt so bad for her! She looked at me with big, scared eyes and said "I am so sorry! I was trying to figure out what the lanes were doing and I didn't stop in time."

We went up to the next light and turned onto a quieter street. I grabbed my information while she grabbed hers. My adrenaline was going full tilt. I checked out the back of my car (it's an SUV so it sits higher than her car did) and I would be hard pressed to tell you I had been hit. I turned and looked at the front of her car.

Oh my gosh! Her bumper was destroyed and her hood sat at an odd angle. I felt horrible for her! We exchanged info and made sure we were both physical ok (though with that much adrenaline it would be hard to know for sure for a while). She asked if I knew where a body shop was and I pointed out the street where I knew there was one. I was very, very close to home so I just drove home not having a clue what I should do next.

When I got home, I called my insurance company and reported the claim. They would send someone out to assess the damage (which I told them was practically non-existent to the eye. A few scuff marks where she slid under). The claims rep asked if I had injuries. "I don't think so," I said "but I'm running on pure adrenaline right now."

She told me that if I developed problems that I didn't need to use NC Blue Cross Blue Shield or my own medical insurance. Just go to a medical facility and have them bill me and submit it through the auto claim.

As the hours ticked by and I settled down, I noticed some stiffness and pain in my upper back but nothing that seemed worthy of going to the doctor. As the days have gone by, it still isn't bad and mostly goes un-noticed. I'm not one to run to the doctor so I am opting to skip it. I'm pretty sure a tad bit more back pain would be hard to discern anyway and she wasn't going that fast. I've had bigger jolts from kids flying off the couch and landing on me. :)

Today the claims adjuster came out and photographed the "damage". He recommends having the bumper smoothed out and repainted. He will send me their information tomorrow. While I was waiting for my guy to arrive, the other insurance company called to talk with me. Looks like I will file through the other company to avoid paying my deductible but I have to tell you, I feel guilty. It's really not that bad. And it's *nothing* when compared to the other car.

Just another reason I don't ever want to have a regular car. Too close to the ground and I'm pretty sure the damage would have been worse and I probably would have gotten jarred much, much worse. So for me, with my crappy back, I'm thinking a higher riding vehicle is the way to go.

I'm just glad nothing worse happened to me....or to the other driver.