My uncle was hit by a car last night

[GreenDisease]

As if my already bruised and battered family needed more bad news to deal with.....

My uncle who lives up north with my grandfather was a victim of a speeding car in a residential area when he was picking up chinese food from the store across the street from the house.

He's got facial lascerations, contusions, a concussion, blood on the brain, and a badly broken right leg and arm.

We don't know if it was a hit and run because it all happened so fast. An ambulance had already wisked my uncle away before my grandfather heard the sirens across the street..all he saw was my uncles shoes laying in the middle of the road.

He was rushed to the trauma center in Newark where he underwent emergency surgery to repair the compound fracture on his leg, but I don't know what is up with the blood on the brain.

We haven't heard anything yet this morning, knock on wood, I guess no news is good news.

[Not_Trapped]

i'm sorry, cara - i hope that everything turns out fine -

[Buannan]

damn cara...I'm sorry

isn't it strange how a life can be turned upside down in a matter of seconds?

I hope he's ok...and that they have the jerk that mowed him down

[GreenDisease]

We still have no idea how or when he got hit. The police have no answers, or they have them and won't divulge them.

We don't know if he was hit walking there, or walking home. He did have bills to drop off at the mailbox by the convience store next to the resturant, and that was not found on him when my grandfather went to collect his belongings at the hospital. So that means he could have dropped the mail off, got dinner, then got hit, or, worse, someone picked it off him when he was laying on the ground. My grandfather has to contact the bank and put a stop on the checks just in case.

There was an SUV at the scene with a lady standing outside of it, but the cops wouldn't answer my grandfathers questions. So we've got no idea if that was the car that hit him, or it was a witness.

Its 4:30 and we still haven't heard anything from my grandfather about his condition, if its worse or better, or if the police have any answers.

[Buannan]

why the hell won't they tell you or your grandfather anything? I don't get it...what's to top secret about an accident?

fucking cops anyway

[GreenDisease]

I have no damn idea but its frustrating.

Even the god damn hospital.....they wouldnt even tell my grandfather the injuries my uncle sustained because of those HIPPA laws. Yeah, its the patients rights to keep their medical prognosis to themselves, but fuck, if my child was laying bleeding all over with head and body injuries, Id want to know what the hell was wrong with him. Diagnosis can only be shared if the injured/sick person gives consent.

[Buannan]

I have no damn idea but its frustrating.

Even the god damn hospital.....they wouldnt even tell my grandfather the injuries my uncle sustained because of those HIPPA laws. Yeah, its the patients rights to keep their medical prognosis to themselves, but fuck, if my child was laying bleeding all over with head and body injuries, Id want to know what the hell was wrong with him. Diagnosis can only be shared if the injured/sick person gives consent.
yeah..they need to add some exceptions to those laws...like should the person be unconscious, medical info can be released to next of kin...husband/wife, children, parents....it only makes sense

[GreenDisease]

He was in and out of consciousness most of the night due to the head injuries.

The poor soul has no memory of getting hit, or even walking to get dinner.

[brokenarrow]

I'm so sorry! I'll keep him, and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

[_sysiphus_]

I'm very sorry and hope for a quick and speedy recovery for your uncle.

[GreenDisease]

My mom just got off the phone with my grandfather, and things are still pretty much the same.

The police still haven't answered our questions, and no doctor talked to him today. A nurse let him know that he could be moved from ICU to a regular room in a day or two. My uncle still doesn't know what happened, but he's aware that he's hurt. Still no word on how severe the brain injury could be, but the blood is still there. I think his leg sustained the brunt of the hit.

My other uncle was there today and he said that his head is pretty swollen, and his face is all black and blue from the lascerations.

We're all pretty exhausted. Im about to pass out, and both my parents are passed out on the lazy boy and the couch.
Thanks everyone, and g'night.

[Not_Trapped]

the police might not be answering questions because they don't have the answers. if it was a hit and run that is most likely the scenario. they'll tell them stuff as soon as they know stuff -

[yer ardy]

first off, sorry to hear about your uncle, cara...
i'm thinking good thoughts for you and yours.

"fucking cops anyway" ???
it's not their fault...they're doing the best they
can with what they have. what happened to
cara's uncle is a crime and needs to be handled
accordingly. it's not like they're dangling tidbits
in front of the grandfather and then saying, "um
no, we're not gonna tell you.."... like dominic
said, when they *know*..they'll clue in everyone
who needs to know...

regarding the hospital..HIPPA is a pain but so is
liability insurance and the like. the hospital cannot
have its employees generalizing a diagnosis on a
patient based on little information. doctors and
hospitals must be prudent with information divulged.
also, given the possibility that this is, in fact, a
crime, some information is classified until the
investigation is over.

this is an incredibly stressful and emotional
situation....which is compounded by outside
interests seeming to not care or not provide
information. they do care and they want
to help. there are reasons why things
are done the way they are. i wish your
uncle and grandpa well.... truly i do.

[GreenDisease]

I can understand all that Ardy said, but as the family, we do deserve some answers. Its been 48 hours since it happened, and they won't even talk to us.

No one would even answer my grandpa when he asked if it was a male that got hit..he just put two and two together when there are sirens and flashing lights in front of the house, and my uncle has been gone for 30 minutes when it should have taken 2:00. He found out because my uncles sneakers were laying in the middle of the street. You don't deny an old man scared to death about his child of some answers. Sorry, but thats just my opinion.

[csmooth24]

ouch. im sorry for your uncle cara...get well soon!!!

i hope everthing gets sorted out too...

[share]

this is so horrible

sorry to hear and I hope your uncle is ok

maybe the police aren't saying anything because they have a lead
and they don't want anything to get out so they can catch
the person

that's my hope anyway

what a difference a second can make in your life

[rockrighter]

Sorry for the lateness ... I hope your uncle's condition improves as fast as possible ... & that the coppers catch the &^%! My condolences to you & your family.

[GreenDisease]

We finally heard from the police yesterday, and it turns out that the lady in the SUV at the scene was the person who hit him.

The report didn't say she was speeding, and she claims she "didn't see anyone". It was reported that my uncle was in the crosswalk when he was crossing the street. That's about it.

My uncle still doesn't know anything about getting hit, so it sucks that its "her word against ours". So legal representation will be very hard. What pisses me off the most is that the damn cops didn't issue her a summons. Damn bitch hits a man and nearly kills him and she drives away with nothing...what the fuck is that about??!?!

My uncle has two broken legs, a broken arm, a brain injury(still don't know how it will affect him in the future), and he looks like Leatherface from all the gashes. The people at the hospital tried to get him up on crutches but he didn't last long, his energey level is shot to total shit. They say he can be home in a few days, which I guess is a good thing. I don't think he's ready to go home, but hospitals these days don't keep anyone for a squat anymore.

He's gonna be layed up for about three months, I just hope that he doesn't have any lasting aliments from all this. That will suck big time.

[reallygroovN]

sorry to hear about all of this, cara.

prayers for your uncle and grandfather. what a stressful situation. but its really, really good that he is ok :)

the police stuff....well, if you have the police report and get a good attorney, they will be able to get to the bottom of things. just get some good references because you will prob need a decent personal injury lawyer if *no laws were broken*. the woman is still at fault and, i believe in new jersey, this would go thru your uncles auto insurance.

[GreenDisease]

Thanks for the tips Cathy. :)

[yer ardy]

to inflict those kinds of injuries, there has to have
been some damage to her car.
she is at fault, regardless of what she says.
personal injury is way different from bumping
your car into another car at a grocery store
parking lot.

cara, if it takes you getting involved to help
your grampa, do so. get on the phone to
free legal aid, one of those 1-800-joe-atty
numbers, ANYONE who can advise you about
what you can do on behalf of your uncle.

he is entitled, at the very least, to have the
driver compensate him for his hospitalization
and future rehab expenses. that's what her
insurance is to pay for.

regardless of the police not issuing her a summons
or whatever, there IS a report, your uncle IS
injured and there can be something done about it.
free legal aid or a private investigator should
be able to advise you accordingly.

be the gnat :)

[reallygroovN]

ok, a *friend* of mine got hit by a car, not as badly as your uncle (although you might think she was - hers was extremely minor) she was a pedistrian also.

so, again, im almost postive that whatever claim she makes, thru state dissability and any compensation from the other driver, gets put thru HER and the poor sucker that grazed her's auto insurance. now, this friend got a few scratches and then claimed that she couldn't work for the past 6 months. and she found doctor's who would back her up.

if your uncle is that badly injured, and he worked up to this point, then it should be a no brainer to get dissability. also, his job should hold his position till he can return. it takes a few months, however.

also, with the personal injury lawyer...they will not even begin the process of a lawsuit UNTIL your uncle is completely healed from his injuries. if they settle now and your uncle has a major complication that they can trace back to this accident, then your uncle cannot sue the other party again. so this will be a very LONG wait and you have to be patient.

what you need to do now is to gather all of the information that you can while it is still fresh.

trust me, if my friend can get away with basically defrauding doctors, lawyers and the state of nj, your uncle, who was REALLY injured should have no problems as long as all the steps are taken correctly and you have patience.

[Not_Trapped]

good words, cath. make sure they know to keep everything...records and what not. and yes, get good references for a good personal injury attorney. don't go by the television commercials.

[GreenDisease]

Those television commercials scare me