If you’re an attorney or someone in the media here’s a story that might be of huge interest to you. The name is changed, although we probably don’t have to.
Let me tell you the story about an entertainer named….John.
Once upon a time — about a year and a half ago — John was on a sound equipment run in a Rocky Mountain state. A friend of his and his wife’s was along with him on the trip. Then, when he stopped his old 1950s-style car, he was suddenly hit from behind by a rented truck. His car rolled over, the passenger — a middle aged woman — was killed instantly and Davis was ejected from the car, his body shattered. He seemed doomed to be paralyzed or to die. Through sheer will, he didn’t.
But it’s more than an accident story. It turns out that a few days before the accident he had let his health insurance lapse since he was looking for a better plan. And it turned out that the person who hit him with the rental truck was an uninsured senior citizen. Davis had to cancel all of his summer schedule but after driving himself through painful therapy managed to walk and perform again. But it’s still not easy…
End of story? No. Not by a longshot.
Davis will need a $40,000 operation because his knee could get a lot worse over the next year to year and a half. He owes $250,000 in medical bills. He’s trying to collect from his car insurance company which is reportedly dragging his heels and he may have to take legal action. He’ll then get at most $100,000. Due to various loopholes in the law he’s finding he is unable to collect so far from the rental company. The person who hit him was uninsured and may have few assets. Meanwhile, creditors are demanding payment now. In other words: he was hit from behind but to date no one is being held legally responsible to pick up the tab.
And, in the end, if something doesn’t change, he could lose his house that he and his wife had worked so hard to make a place that welcomed all…including some stray cats of all ages who stand in a group and watch sadly when the couple gets in their car to go do a gig. Even worse: in a year or so, he may not be as mobile since he needs the operation and the status quo means in the future he might not be able to walk.
IF YOU’RE AN ATTORNEY and might want to give input on this case or even take it on email me care of this website and I’ll put you in touch with him. I know many attorneys — some were my best college friends — and think perhaps another set of legal eyes could help him out to collect…from someone.
IF YOU’RE IN THE NEWS MEDIA this is a quintessential “plight” story involving hard times, someone who was just minding his business when he was hit from behind and his world changed, and the fact that people forget that their insurance company is not always thei friend. Plus: the ways laws are set up so someone in a rental truck can hit someone from behind and apparently not have to take care of the person’s medical bills. Email me care of this website and I’ll put you in touch with him.
He emails me:”I am a victim here. This guy runs me down and now he, the laws and the insurance companies are running over me again financially! What a mess….”
FOOTNOTE: John didn’t asked me to write this. I’ve known him for more than 10 years and he has selflessly helped countless people and gone the extra mile.
Ironically, it was that extra mile he went that day that became the fateful mile….when he was whacked from behind and in an instant his health, his whole summer income from crucial jobs, his overall finances and the security of living in a home of his own choosing were turned upside down.
Can you help make a difference with advice…or by shining a light on the situation?
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.