A bad day in Green Bay

[Hambly434]

Wife and I took a ride up to visit our daughter in Green Bay WI.
We had a great ride up and a great weekend visit with her.
While riding through town to get back to the highway for our trip home we had a full size van pull out of a frontage road in front of us.
I really couldn't say how far we were from the van when he pulled out but I knew we weren't going to miss it. The next thing I know we're down. I ended up with my head and shoulders under the front of the van and wife was just behind me just in front of the front wheel of the van. I came out with only some sore spots. My wife has a busted up ankle with damaged ligaments she will be seeing the surgeon on Wed.

The driver of the van was given a ticket for failure to yield after a stop. He was pretty shook up.

The bike spun when we slid just enough so that the front end went under the van and the rear of the bike and the trailer spun to the front of the van.

This is the first motorcycle accident I have been in so any advise on how to deal with insurance or Honda for the repairs, please send me a PM.

Thanks, Neil

Here is a before pic and a few after pics.

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[GiddyupF6B]

First things first, You're very lucky to be typing this post.....as I'm sure you know it could have been much worse! I'm really glad you guys made it out of that and were able to walk away. Good luck with the healing and the repairs.......

[Injun Joe]

Very sorry to hear of this Neil. No words of advise, but wishing you and your wife all the best with the recovery. The van owner had insurance I take it?

[FF-Ed]

Neil,

I'm glad to hear you faired so well, as you know bikes can be repaired or replaced.

Please Let your wife know that we will mention her in our prayers.
Hopefully her recovery will be quick.

Ed

[FlaMike]

Sorry to hear this Neil. Hoping for a quick recovery for you and your wife.

[Steve 0080]

WOW!!!!! Glad your ok and hope you wife will be as well..... I was just concerned as far as health issues and hope all works out well!!! I have never had a bad issue with an insurance company... the other party getting a ticket will seemly close the door for any fault on your side. Let the insurance companies do there thing.... I am sure there will be many on here say to lawyer up and go for blood.....not my way. Good Luck!!!

I see a 2015 in your future !!!!

[F6BPDX]

Ouch! Glad to hear you made it out as relatively unscathed as you did. Hope your wife heals up quickly as well. I will echo Steve's recommendation to let insurance do it's thing, you will know pretty quick if they are being fair.

[RickW]

Glad to hear that you and the wife are OK and not more seriously injured, that is the most important thing.
I would hope that they can get an adjuster to look at it quickly, get an estimate and then get it fixed for you.
In a lot of cases the insurance company will not talk to you until you can get a copy of the police report which shows their client at fault.
Good luck and again, glad you are OK and a speedy recovery to your wife.

[zeus661]

Glad it was not worse. Just had an accident myself about a month ago. Very similar damage to my bike as yours. Mine was taken to my local dealer. Over $10k in damages. Progressive replaced everything that was even close to looking damaged. Just got the bike back today.

[SCMike]

No advice. Just glad you and your wife are OK! Hope to see you and your repaired ride at the next rally!

[opas ride]

Neil, as with the others I am glad you and your wife are reasonably alright...My prayers to you and your wife and family.....I have not had a bike accident and obviously hope never too...So no advise on insurance except what I have been told..Get all the pictures you can, try to locate all witnesses, if any, names, etc. get a Police report ASAP and let the insurance do the rest..Insist, if possible, that your bike be repaired at the dealer of your choice and if repairs are way costly see about a new replacement bike....Good Luck....

[53driver]

Neil,
So glad you are ambulatory and that nothing was life threatening.
Insurance companies know the drill and since the other guy is already tickets "at fault", this should be day for the insurance companies to manage.
The problem may arise if the van's insurance isn't enough to cover your combined medical expenses or damage to the bike. THEN lawyers need to be involved.
Best of luck with that.

I hear an "anti-microbial" fluid, sold under the generic name "scotch" sometimes helps minor bruising.......
Cheers,
Steve

[jaygollner]

I don't have any insurance advice only prayers for the both of you. I will say that injuries never go away for good, much of the damage I shrugged off as a young man has come back to stay now that I am a little older. That said a good attorney can make sure that the insurance companies do right by you.

[hiflyer]

Neil, sorry, but thankful it was not worse.

[Phantom]

Neil, focus on both of you healing. Don't make any medical judgements or claims to the insurance company until you see a doctor and time has passed before you really know if there are any permanent injuries. Been there done that.

Hope that both of you heal quick. As someone stated above, stock up on that Anti-Biotic called Whiskey and take it with moderation when you start to feel pain.

The bike appears to be leaking oil, the impact may have cracked the frame where the motor is mounted.
I would just insist on a 2015 ... the pretty blue one :icon_cool::yes:

[VP8]

Neil, sorry to hear about your accident... glad both of you are ok.

Like what everyone said, take lots of pictures and/or a video of the damages to your bike. You should also take pictures of you and your wife's owies. Before and after she gets stitched up. You also should take pictures of your motorcycle gear (helmets, gloves, jackets, pants, boots, communication gear, etc). If any of those items are damaged or even scratched due to the accident, their insurance company is supposed to replace them.

I'm sure you and your wife are covered under medical insurance. If you incur any medical costs outside what your medical insurance covers (i.e. ambulance ride, deductibles, meds), then make sure to document and save all your receipts.

It may be easier for you to leave your bike and trailer at your dealer so the van's insurance adjuster can take pictures of it and come up with some figures, while at the same time, your dealer can provide an estimate repair work. Any add-ones or third party part that was damaged (including the custom paint on certain parts) should be replaced with the same and paid for by the van's insurance company.

Your bike will take at least three weeks to repair due to the waiting time on the adjusters, approvals and for parts to arrive to the dealer. During that time, if you need a bike to ride, you might be able to have the van's insurance company to pay for a comparable rental during the time your bike is at the shop.

Wishing you both of speedy recovery.

[Kurare79]

Big ouch! :icon_frown: I am sorry for your accident! Must have been a big shock! :icon_frown: I hope your wife and you are getting well soon.

As i see on the pictures the crash must have had a huge impact if even the crash bar is twisted :shock:

[RcBtx1999]

Wife and I took a ride up to visit our daughter in Green Bay WI.
We had a great ride up and a great weekend visit with her.
While riding through town to get back to the highway for our trip home we had a full size van pull out of a frontage road in front of us.
I really couldn't say how far we were from the van when he pulled out but I knew we weren't going to miss it. The next thing I know we're down. I ended up with my head and shoulders under the front of the van and wife was just behind me just in front of the front wheel of the van. I came out with only some sore spots. My wife has a busted up ankle with damaged ligaments she will be seeing the surgeon on Wed.

The driver of the van was given a ticket for failure to yield after a stop. He was pretty shook up.

The bike spun when we slid just enough so that the front end went under the van and the rear of the bike and the trailer spun to the front of the van.



This is the first motorcycle accident I have been in so any advise on how to deal with insurance or Honda for the repairs, please send me a PM.

Thanks, Neil



Here is a before pic and a few after pics.

9111
91129113
91149115



Neil: Glad you are OK and like so many of the others have said, you are lucky to be making this post. Now on to the advice. As you may remember I told you I am a retired Police Officer. Many of those years were on a Police Motorcycle and I've been hit (none my fault) 3 times while on a Police Motorcycle. Most insurance companies are going to treat you right as far as the bike and the trailer are concerned, but as far as your minor injuries and your wife's Major Injuries, you've got to look at the Big Picture and how those things are going to affect her down the road in years to come. Most policies have major medical on them to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expense. If you agree to accept a cash settlement without the advice of a personal injury Counsel, (preferably one who deals in motorcycle accidents), you are most likely going to get a fat check for the state limits and nothing more. You need to have your Counsel/Lawyer look at what the lifelong benefit is with regard to the injury your wife has suffered. These things have a way of coming back to revisit you a year or two or five down the road and seasonally. Your Counsel/Lawyer will be looking at charging 30-33% of whatever is awarded monetarily either by an offer on behalf of the Insurance Company or the order of the Court. Most Companies settle rather than going to court. The guarantee of Lifetime Medical for this particular injury or at least a substantial period of time to determine if it will persist is imperative. If the offending driver does not have all the coverage needed to satisfy the bills, your Insurance is required to take that responsibility without penalizing you. The left hand turn accidents where someone pulls out in front of you are the most common. BTW, FYI, the insurance company also is required to buy you new helmets as well so make sure you get ALL you gear you were wearing included in the cost of the claim, also factor in loss of earnings if you or the wife is off for a period of time to recover from the accident. I'm not saying to go for the Jugular here, but don't be the nice guy who takes it in the shorts either. Some Attorney's will take less to get your business but remember, you get what you pay for. I hope you guys mend quickly and that you bike comes back more beautiful than ever. Take care....Tim Reilly p.s. Don't worry about getting a copy of the Police Report, your Insurance Adjuster will do that, then make sure you get copies of everything he has.

[Darkknight]

Glad you guys are relatively ok.
Crashing does suck (saw a tee shirt that said that:icon_wink:), especially when it's not your fault. Prayers from CT, sent for quick recovery for your sweetheart. It sounds like it could have been much worse.

[Hambly434]

Thanks to all of you for your prayers and well wishes from both of us.
We are glad to be part of a great group of people of this site.
In just a few hours you have answered all of the questions I could think of and given us great advice on what to do in the future.
I can't tell you how many times in the last couple of days we have mentioned to each other how lucky were are to have not hit directly into the side of the van. Then to be lucky enough to have minimal injuries.
I guess you feel anger at first. Then when things calm down you realize how lucky you are.

Thanks again to all of you. This is truly a special group of people on this site.
The Hamblys

[jkelley]

Damn Neil,

Loads of great advise her I have nothing to add other than my prayers are with you and the wife so that you come out on the good end if there is one.

Jim

[Spanky]

Sorry to hear about the dump. Hope you guys heal up. Focus on the healing.
IMHO, the insurance folks want to pay you off asap. Don't accept anything until you have talked to the dr. And know what the longer term issues may be. Remember its you that sets the timetable not the insurance company. +1 for phantoms suggestion. Insist on a 15. Blue is cool, but that black one is smoking.

You should also list all the adds you did to the bike and provide a retail price, not just your cost. You did a lot and you should be paid retail for it.

[Love to ride]

Prayers sent !

[Scotrod]

DANG!!! Sad to hear but glad you both still here!!! :yes:

One other oddity we encountered at the hospital after Wifeys recent dog-collision,,, Hospital was insistent on monies/deposit ASAP, as in pre-surgery. (Wife had a perforated lung that needed to heal for a couple days before they could fix her clavicle)

Kinda thought it was BS as we both have excellent health insurance from our employers. Still,,,, we (SHE) was hounded for $$$$,,,

Didn't matter a huge amount to me, kind of figured there would be some bills to pay, so I gave them 5 large,,,

Turns out, we got almost every penny of that back EVENTUALLY as her Insurance paid for darn near everything.

Was kind of a hassle to get my money back,,, policies/procedures/departments,, blah blah blah,,,

To do it over,,,,, Even if I knew I was going to owe something, I wouldn't give 'em a dang dime till the insurance was done. :nono:

[Spanky]

DANG!!! Sad to hear but glad you both still here!!! :yes:

One other oddity we encountered at the hospital after Wifeys recent dog-collision,,, Hospital was insistent on monies/deposit ASAP, as in pre-surgery. (Wife had a perforated lung that needed to heal for a couple days before they could fix her clavicle)

Kinda thought it was BS as we both have excellent health insurance from our employers. Still,,,, we (SHE) was hounded for $$$$,,,

Didn't matter a huge amount to me, kind of figured there would be some bills to pay, so I gave them 5 large,,,
:nono:

I'm dealing with the same thing. It seems that the hospital wants to be paid in advance all they can. And they said government being in the healthcare business was a bad thing..... Glad to hear from our got it back. Thanks Obama! So we are all insured, but we need to have 5 large in savings in order to use the insurance. Vote Republican in 3 weeks.

[Clutch]

So glad you two are okay! Sending prayers, and wishing for a speedy recovery.

[Steve 0080]

When I arrived at the hospital for my party, they were somewhat quick on asking for the "ccsmiley" ...who would of thought a helicopter ride and $500K :165fs373950: later I would be checking out :wheelchair wheelie:


I don't think anyone will admit it but when the money runs out the care soon follows !!!

[JackB]

Heal fast. I'm south of Green Bay it you need anything let me know.

[Scotrod]

With a lot of folks unable to pay bills, and/or without health insurance, I can see where the Hospital would quickly learn to ~ask~, politely or not-so-politely, for $$$$$ ASAP!

[srt8-in-largo]

Mmmm... inspiration to get serious about finding good riding boots.

Thanks for sharing; get well soon.

[firetech]

Neil,
Sorry to hear about your accident, but so glad you both are okay.
Thoughts and prayers to you both.

[Deer Slayer]

Sorry Neil, hope you all mend soon. :cheers:

[Ixol Phaane]

Very best wishes and prayers for you both.
Very glad to hear that it's no more serious than it was.
Hope you both mend quickly.

[F6Pilot]

Neil, advice has been covered but wanted to say I'm glad you survived the ordeal. Hope you and the wife heal quickly and completely.

[bobbyf6b]

Best wishes for a quick recovery.

[Ray H]

Take care and get well soon.

[SmallPasture]

Wow....such a sad site! That beautiful personal bike...at least it can be made new again! You and your darling wife...eh, not so much! So glad ya made it out somewhat ok. Hope you wife heals quickly after surgery!

God Bless ya Neil!

[motoman]

Very sorry to hear about your get-off. :icon_redface: Sounds like the Van was behaving like a Deer.

Looks like the crash protectors did a pretty good job. I hope that your wife will not be too affected by this unfortunate incident, and will continue to ride with you. Maybe you can get her a really good pair of heavy-duty boots. (read: Harley).

The major issue in motorcycle accidents is whether the Insurance Co. totals the bike. You now have a bike that's been down. So that means that you may wind up with a salvage title, which will affect your resale. I hope that they will fix the bike and everything will be fine, but sometimes it's never the same. The damage doesn't look too bad. Hope everything works out well. :icon_mrgreen:

[Spewey Griffin]

Best wishes Neil and the Missus.

As others have mentioned, the bike damages you can see. It's those torn and bruised body damages which won't raise their ugly head until years down the track when arthritus sets in because of these injuries.

Make sure that the treating Doctor knows about these injuries and makes good notes and you get the various MRI scans etc, because it's these scans that'll be used to determine any permanent injury. You saying that you can't turn your neck will mean zip.

I'm 60, everyday I feel a dirt bike injury to my knee and that was 40 years ago.

[choptop]

Glad to hear you guys are ok !!!!!!!

[Reb]

G'day Neil and mrs Neil !
1st chance I've had to check website etc as you know.
Glad to hear your both ok but sorry the bikes a bit twisted.
Hope you get it all sorted and are back riding soon.
Cheers
Roger

[hoglaw]

Neil, sorry to hear about your accident. Tell your dear wife we wish her a speedy recovery.

You got a lot of advice here, some good, some not so good. I did biker personal injury cases for years, both plaintiff and defense. You need a lawyer who understands motorcycle accidents. There are too many things that can adversely effect you and her, both now and in the future. Small examples; , loss of use for the time your bike is not available,and how do you determine the loss in value for your bike? It will be worth less after the repairs than a similar bike that was never involved in an accident...and there are many more small issues that merit concern.

If you don't know a lawyer in the area of the accident pick up one of the many biker magazines. There will be ads. Motorcycle laws may not be the same as auto laws, and you need someone on your side. The insurance company relies on trained professionals who handle these claims every day. You need someone working for you who knows what's real and what's urban legend.

As you are starting to learn, medical expenses aren't cheap. Did you know your medical insurance company and property damage insurance company will have a right to recovery? The term is subrogation, and they have a right to demand your cooperation if they choose to go after the at fault driver. So you may wind up in court whether you like it or not. Your lawyer can handle these details for you.

When you're dealing with the insurance company how do you make sure you're compensated for loss of quality of life? If there are lingering issues after all the medical treatment your life will change. and you deserve to be compensated for it.

Sorry this response turned out to be so long, but I don't want to see you make a mistake that can't be corrected. It was a pleasure meeting you both in Franklin and I'd hate to see you get screwed by an insurance company.

[grendl]

Neil,
Not much I can add but that I am happy you and the wife are going to be ok.
Sad that your bike with the touches you had put into it got hit, but like the boyz said it can be repaired,hopefully replaced.
You have some excellent advice here,I would point out the suggestions on future problems because of the immediate injuries to both of you.Make sure that is taken into account as once you sign and accept you will have no further recourse ,even if it is proven the problems down the road are from the accident.
Adding that I know about this from my injuries during my youth. They healed,but I pay for them as I have gotten older.
The other is the comment on being hounded about money up front from the hospitals. My own experience has been they have always done that. I have had surgeries scheduled,showed up and was caught off guard by a demand for partial payment for the procedure,even though I had/have excellent insurance. That was before ACA,had nothing to do with it. Just the way it is .
Heal fast ,my best to you and your wife,hope she continues to ride with you and that you get your bike handled quickly.

[Slingah]

Just saw this. Big ouch. So glad to see and hear you both are okay.
Good luck with everything.
Matt.