legacycentral bbs

I think I may have told you guys about this accident I witnessed last summer...
In any case, here's the synopsis with a visual aid:



I'm travelling toward Federal Way (north) and so is the suburban.

We're traveling NORTHBOUND. I see that coming up in my lane, is a white Dodge Intrepid stopped, waiting to make a VERY illegal (but thought out) left turn, over a double-yellow, and two lanes of southbound traffic. (DUMB PEOPLE to boot) So I slow down, of course, in plenty of time.
...Dude in the suburban doesn't see this, he's too intent. As I slow down, he takes the opportunity to swerve into my lane to cut me off. ..He obviously doesn't see that the white Intrepid is stopped, waiting to make a left. He slams his brakes, squealing, smoking tires, and rear-ends the Intrepid, making a move to glance off the right side of them, into the right-lane.

What he also didn't see in the right lane, was the Carpet Cleaning van, which he sideswipes, causing it to lose control, and go headlong down the right-side, into the shoulder, and down a small ravine, stopped by a tree. This was quite the wreckage, lemme tell you.
In any case, I stopped, particpated in the help-calling, and gave my info to the responding officer, who was knee-deep in excuses from fuckbag in the suburban, and even more BS from the old guy trying to make the illegal left. (something about pulling off to use his cell phone..?) The cop took my info, ruled me out, and sent me on my way.

So what's the point of all this?

Weeelll.... I come home this morning to find that there's a message on my voicemail from some investigator, about this accident. He wants me to call him. Now, I'm reasonably sure that legally, I'm clear of all responsibility, due to the actions of douche-burban. (Who also smelled like bourbon at the time of the accident!) However, I've heard this kinda shit can be pawned off on people like me in civil court.. you know, kinda like suing the gun manufacturers:
-"Well, if Mr. F wasn't driving at high-speeds, my client wouldn't have tried to ..."
...or some more sophisticated legal-mumbo-jumbo, just as farfetched.

I'm really tempted, against better judgement, to call the investigator dude back and set him straight. But I don't know who he's representing. It could mean trouble, but I'm a social-justice kinda guy. I mean, I know the people in the Carpet Van (Mom and 8yr old boy) were pretty fucked up. The mom was unconcious at the scene, and the kid was screaming his fuckin' head off, royally. I later read in the paper that they had to airlift the kid to Harborview (local scary-shit hospital) for his injuries. So presumably, there's some major bills hanging, that I think can only be had from a civil court case judgement. ...But a ruling in their favor may only come if I give testimony/deposition.

Should I call the investigator back? Ask him who he's representing?

Should I leave it alone and fughettaboutit?

I trust you guys. <3!

call the investagiors and tell him to state his purpose and intents. if it will be for the good than talk. if he wants to screw you than hang up on him.

this could go against you, just as a wanrning. i was in an auto ped and an innocent van that was waiting to turn that the dude that hit me tried to avoid was pinned for a few grand that went to my bills that toatled more than 80k. but it was insurrance that had to pay. there would have been no reason for this if the cops followed up and figured out that the id and the insurance card from the dude that hit me was fake.

uhh.... okay.

so its a private investigator?
do you know any lawyers could talk to about it first, and find out if you are legally obligated to talk to him? If you arent I wouldnt bother.
otherwise I agree with azn2nr.
Did suburban fuckbag get a breathalizer? did you say anything to the cops about the bourbon smell? he could get all sorts of felonies for the hurt mom and kid.

I wouldn't admit to anything that isn't on the statement you gave the cop. Get a copy of that if you don't have it. I wouldn't talk to this guy anyway without a subpoena. If he was persistent I'd ask him what was in it for me as I wasn't involved in the incident and if there's nothing in it for me then there's no reason for me to say anything unless required by court. You can always say that you don't trust talking to anyone in such a rediculously litigeous (sp) society.

"What are you afraid of? Do you have something to hide?"
"No, I'm just paranoid and a cynic and look, you're already trying to pin this on me. See, this is why I'm paranoid. You'll be pinning Exxon Valdez on me next - that was also a huge tanker that hit shit because the driver was drunk."

Steve

Tristan.

GET AN ATTORNEY.

I could elaborate, but I shouldn't have to.

I checked the police report yesterday afternoon.. turns out the drawing I made VERY closely matches what's on the report, only my car isn't sketched in.
I'm fairly certain if I just leave this one alone, as I'm only listed as a witness, that it might just blow over. I could even just call him back (he's been persistent ) and tell him I'm no longer there... just a thought.
I'll see if he's called again.. meanwhile, I think I'll just let it sit. Thanks guys!

It might be a good idea to edit some stuff out of these posts, Tristan... these forums are publicly readable worldwide, after all.

Got my advice, now I may be able to super-edit the post.. who knows.. what's cool though is that my drawing matches the police one.. so that indicates good things, i would say.