Legal Limbo Update

It is with great happiness that I’m able to give an update on my legal limbo.

While I was on vacation, I played voice mail phone tag through three time zones with the lawyer assigned to my case. [Another hint for legal professionals, when “you have good news,” don’t just leave a voice message that says that you have good news, leave the details of the good news so one doesn’t have to speculate or play phone tag for two weeks. Just saying!]

The words “settled,” “you don’t have to do anything else,” and “it’s over” made my day.

Last week, I got letter that had the following words in the first sentence.

"It was a pleasure speaking with you regarding the resolution of the lawsuit that was filed against you and defended by our office."

Once I fill out the questionnaire about the insurance company’s handling of my case, hopefully I can add it to the pile of documentation and finally close the drawer on this chapter of my life.

Last month contained the four-year anniversary of the accident. My driving record had been littered by minor fender benders, but this was the worse accident I had been involved in. It wasn’t pretty. Airbags were deployed. Glass was everywhere. Cars spun around. Others were stuck together. Most were totaled. A highway was shut down. Some injuries were reported. No citations or tickets were ever given at the scene. Three different households were involved. Unfortunately, litigation was filed. Depositions given. Paperwork piled up.

Honestly, it could have been so much worse. There could have been more vehicles involved. Catastrophic injuries and/or fatalities could have occurred. Tickets could have been issued. Totaling the car could have been the least of my issues. Believe me, I know how lucky I was.

I have so many people to thank for their support throughout this process.

My guardian angels were indeed with me that day. Once again, they were watching out for me – just like they had when they helped me walk away from my first accident, when I rolled the car into a ditch, totaled it, and had to climb out a window and slide down the side of the car.

I am so grateful to my former colleagues and friends who picked me up from the accident within 15 minutes, after I called them in shock and disbelief. They dusted me off and then supported me the rest of that day. Those same dear people were there the day I found out about the lawsuit, though they could have run interference and body blocked the process server. They also continued to be my transportation lifeline and moral support as the years rolled by. I literally could not, and still could not, get around without them.

My friends with legal training, and you know who you are, reassured me over and over and over again that this would be the end result. They shared with me their experiences with similar cases and let me know that I was in good strong and serious hands with my insurance company and their legal team. Let me tell you, you are, indeed, in “good hands” with that company.

Finally, many many thanks to my parents. They have proved steadfast and supportive despite hearing of this latest and greatest automotive catastrophe. Somehow, they have continued to trust me to drive their cars, a series of short-term loaners that ferried me around when I was away from mass transit. I know that it was mostly due to their many hours of prayers that I was able to call them with an update and hear the words … “Glory Hallelujah!”

Amen.

P.S. Thanks to you, readers, for all your prayers to your various deities of choice.

Legal Linguistics

Note to all those in the legal profession:

When leaving messages about the status of any legal action, never use the words "held over" or "over." "Over" has connotations of finality and/or completion. If the trial has been postponed, deferred, delayed, moved to another date, on hiatus, in recess, not happening anytime soon, etc. USE ONE OF THOSE WORDS INSTEAD.

Think about the recipient. They may be retrieving voice messages via their cell phones while on train platforms. Their reception may be spotty and muddled by loud background noises. Your use of "over" may leave the listener with the sense that maybe a long, arduous four-year process may be finally over ... A bit of optimism which could be promptly squashed (to bits) upon hearing the rest of the words in the message, especially the part about "until June 2."

Second and third listening of your message under better conditions may confirm that, in fact, "over" doesn't really mean "over."

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Auntie Nettie

P.S.
I know it's not over until it's over, but I'm SO over this whole legal mess already. People really choose to be in the legal profession? People choose to torment other people with ongoing legal actions? People choose to do this sometimes intentionally?

Query: When is "over" really, really, truly "OVER" when it comes to lawsuits and trials?

Answer: Wait. Don't answer that. Just continue to pray to the dietie(s) of your choice that it is really "over" soon, settled amicably out of court, without my presence in a courtroom, without affecting my pocketbook, and without the possibility of the issue rearing its head again.

I'm off to console myself with caffeine and lots of big fat carbs and to count down until the time when my plane ticket precludes me from being on the East Coast. Like around the time when the next trial date is "supposed" to occur!

Grateful List 1/13 -1/16

This week I am so grateful for the reminders that miracles do happen every day. They can be staggeringly large -- like the US Airways crash, dubbed by the Governor of NY as the Miracle in the Hudson -- or they can be small ones that might not mean much to other people. For me, one small miracle this week was having my lunch money budget stretched due to an unforeseen working lunch, paid for by my employer.

The other miraculous event was that I was able to avoid being involved in a “subway-rage” incident. During one morning commute, two large “ladies” were standing just inches from head. They had been caught up in the surge of passengers entering an already full subway car, when one allegedly pushed the other. A verbal battle ensued, with the “pusher” loudly objecting to being told to “CHILL OUT!” Words were exchanged for much of the short ride between stations, but ultimately they simmered down. They did not actually come to blows, but I surely would have been one of the injured innocent bystanders. When the temperatures get as cold as they did on Friday, the proclamation to “CHILL OUT” has different connotations to commuters.

Mostly I was grateful this week to learn that the action on my highly stressful legal action has been adjourned again until March. As it continues to wind its way through the now multi-year process, Auntie Nettie continues to ask for the prayers and best wishes of friends, family, colleagues, and strangers in the Blogosphere for the resolution of this matter -- one where she does not have to testify or end up paying in perpetuity. I’d be ever so appreciative for your appeals to the deit(ies) of your choice on my behalf.

Thank you.

Lousy Legal Limbo

Any letter with the words jury selection, subpoena, testimony, and trial date does not make for a happy holiday. Just saying ...

Dear Santa,

I'd like to revise my Holiday Wish List. While I'd like an adjournment, what I'd really like is a dismissal.

Thanks,
Auntie Nettie