New Member :)

BoricuaZ

I thought about getting an attorney. I did open a bodily injury claim. Hitting another car going 40mph does tend to leave someone a little beat up.
Most attorneys receive 33% of your settlement though, so in my case I am not sure it would be worth it... unless I make an attorney friend really soon.

I sent my second demand letter today. I am pretty sure I am close to settling this claim soon. The bodily injury settlement is a different story though.

-=--=--=- Hater Alert -=--=--=-

As a side note, I let a male friend of mine know that I was interested in buying a 370Z. He immediately began bashing the car and saying the car "wasn't me". For anyone who knew me 8 years ago (known this guy for 3), they would know that I was a Z FANATIC when I had my 300ZX. Everyone knew me for that car. It boggles my mind to think that someone actually believes that owning a car like this could damage my image. He also mentioned how sooo many of his buddies own one. Really? I drive all over the metro area and I have only seen TWO on the road, ever.

He must be jealous or maybe intimidated.
Among his comments, he also said the car was ugly. I told him, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!" The lines are this car are GORGEOUS! I wasn't 100% impressed with the 350Z (body seemed more round and bubbly to me if that makes sense), but the 370Z is a head turning beast!

Anyway, it seems like a few people close to me are sort of anti-Z... for some reason I don't think I would get the same type of comments if I told them I was looking at a Camry or Altima.

jginnane

The first half hour consultation is free with almost all attorneys. But for dealing with the insurer, you're just asking for a letter to be sent -- not to have him take over your whole case. You can actually interview attorneys for the medical, which is a separate case, and see if they would send this letter as a free accomodation.

The insurer will react in a couple ways when they get a letter sent by a law professional. First -- they know you mean business. And you're not afraid to spend some money to have a fair result.

Second, it instantly becomes obvious to them that this case could indeed mushroom to the point where a contingency fee lawyer sees a potential to get a big chunk out of them, so the burden will then be on them to settle with you quickly.

I would print an edited version of this correspondence and give it to the lawyer you're considering using, so he understands perfectly where you're going with this.

If you're not satisfied with that first half hour consultation, schedule one with a different lawyer. And remember, you're not looking for a "white shoes" law firm. You want some down-n-dirty junkyard dawg, AKA an "ambulance chaser" type, the kind who operates on the thin ethical edge of the law (and is not above sending you to a dozen overpriced clinics to build up the medical documentation). Try to hire a lawyer under 30, because he still has to prove himself to hope to make partner some day.

No rush! The car will be there. The nights, the weeks of waiting are a delirious type of joy. Much like Governor Mark Sanford might've had before another Argentinian tryst. You must prove to the insurer that it is to their advantage to dispose of this relatively simple case immediately, because each week of delay increases their exposure vastly.

Umm, so he's got you pegged as a Scion class of friend, a "cheap date". Next time he take you out ... make sure you order the lobster. Two of them, in fact; skip the starch. And when he takes you home, slam the door in his face. (That would make you both irresistible and unattainable.)

If/when you get the Z you may find your friendship circles change. Particularly if you attend some local Z events, because, face it, not everyone's got money to spend on a two-seater in this economy. (And you're announcing that your time for driving a mommievan and rugrat production is a few years off, thank you.) You do know the part about the ugly BFF girlfriend with braces who sits in the right seat, right?

Mike

We have a great G/Z owner community here in Atlanta, although none of the other 370 guys have joined us yet, but we are a fun group. Maybe you need new friends!

__________________
NISSAN: 75 280Z / 86 300ZX GLL /87 Sentra SE / 03 350Z / 23 Z
Porsche: 93 968 / 23 Macan GTS / 93 968

jginnane

Whaddaya think, Mike? Did we scare her off?