[Prudence]

Sooo...

I've been freaking out because I'm nearing the 3 year anniversary of my car accident, which also means I'm nearing the glorious, yet terrifying statute of limitations. Yes, the accident was my fault and I pushed a car into another car. (I was applying the brake quite forcefully (due to another accident up ahead that had just happened and we were all slamming on our brakes), but apparently I'd already locked the brakes and the car refused to stop.) But everything that could go wrong after that did.

I broke my arm in the worst possible way (used it as an air bag) and it took forever to heal. (Although I did regain full motion, and I wasn't supposed to.) I went to traffic court and the judge was an old college buddy of the front car's driver. The front guy's insurance company reported me to the state as an uninsured driver AFTER my insurance company had already settled with them. The state sent the notice to some ancient address of mine (why do I bother with change of address forms? And yes I sent the special DoL form, too) and so I didn't have notice my license was *suspended* until I went to renew it and learned I'd been driving on a suspended license for 6 months. Getting the suspension revoked took forever because the first person at the DoL said I had to get the other driver's insurance company's permission to lift the suspension, and the insurance company swore at me, called me every name in the book, and hung up on me. (Turns out I just needed to fax over proof that I was insured at the time, plus a copy of the police report showing that I did provide my info at the time.)

Meanwhile, the middle driver *was* uninsured. And decided to sue me. For lots and lots of money. I had a pretty damn big policy, but she wanted more. And apparently she tried to claim everything that had every happened to her. Her first attorney refused to continue with the case. Then nothing for awhile from the second attorney. Finally I had Ryan call my insurance company (I was too freaked out) and not only has this woman been in a really really bad accident since the one I caused, but she's now dead. Deceased. Not-my-fault deceased.

And it's really really morbid, but I'm so relieved I can't even describe it. I mean, it was my fault (in the I caused it, not in the I deliberately was a bonehead sense) and that's why I had a big policy -- to financially protect myself should such a thing happen. And of course she (now her estate) should be compensated for her injuries. But she had for some reason decided she wanted to take me down and it's just been a near constant source of stress for me. I won't even drive any more unless I absolutely have to. I can barely tolerate riding in cars. But she's dead. And the estate could still sue me, but without a live client it's not so likely.