Oh, the irony.
Last Friday I wrote a blog post warning drivers in upstate New York to use extra caution when driving because the Southern Tier was experiencing its first major snow storm of the season. In fact, a review of the New York Injury Blog over the past several weeks reveals several posts by multiple authors about the increased risks of driving in the snow.
Looks like we jinxed ourselves. On Friday, several hours after publishing my post, I was involved in a traffic accident at the intersection of Chambers Road and County Route 64 (in front of Consumer Square) in the town of Big Flats, New York. My husband, who was driving, and I were on our way to the Chemung County Court Clerks’ Holiday Party at El Monte’s Restaurant in Fisherville. As we were traveling east on County Route 64, we observed the light at the intersection was green. The other driver, traveling west on County Route 64, also had a green light. However, just as we began to enter the intersection, the other driver turned in front of us and we crashed. The roads were covered with a thin layer of snow and ice, and I suspect if they had been dry we would have had a much better chance of avoiding the collision. The other driver was issued a ticket for Failing to Yield the Right of Way, and we were left to call a tow truck and begin the long process of sorting out all of the insurance issues.
The irony of our wreck was magnified when I learned my paralegal was also involved in a traffic accident on Friday. A vehicle, attempting to pass her as she was traveling on I-86 in Steuben County, struck her and spun her car around several times. Whereas my husband and I were lucky to escape our crash unscathed, my paralegal was not as fortunate. She has been very sore and shaken since the crash, and we are all wishing her a speedy recovery.
So…I learned a two lessons from Friday’s events:
- Safety in the winter requires more than personal awareness. Neither my husband nor my paralegal caused their respective crashes, yet the collisions still occurred. I am not sure anything could have been done to avoid them, but I am certainly reminded we all need to remain cognizant of what the other drivers on the road are doing. Heck, they may not have read the tips on the New York Injury Blog!
- Dealing with insurance is a pain in the neck. Don’t get me wrong. I like and respect a lot of things about the insurance industry, (though some of my previous posts might lead you to believe otherwise.) However, I now understand why so many of my clients are frustrated with the process before they even come to see me. This is the first crash with which I have been involved, and we were riding in my car. Thus far the process has been…cumbersome. My insurance company and the other driver’s company are beginning to battle about who pays, leaving us to either wait to see what happens or cough up the deductable and simply hope we get it back. My husband and I have spent nearly three hours on the phone with various adjusters, repeating the same information and hoping for a quick resolution. I mean it…I feel your pain.
The bottom line: stay safe, be merry, call me if you need to vent.
Thanks for reading,
Christina M. Sonsire, Esq.
Personal Injury & Malpractice Attorney
Ziff, Weiermiller, Hayden & Mustico, LLP
303 William Street, Elmira, New York 14902
Tel: 607.733.8866
Fax: 607.732.6062
Toll Free: 1.800.943.3529
Email: csonsire@zifflaw.com
