First Shirt wrote:PawPaw wrote:Actually, Kia has stepped up their game recently, and they're making some pretty good cars in the price range. They hold up pretty well until you hit it with a full-sized Dodge, but the grandkids are okay and the settlement was adequate. Don't ask, it's still a sore spot, although elder son was able to build a 30X40 shop with the proceeds.
When you get over your mad, I'd love to hear that story!!
It's not that bad. Elder son was returning home with two kids. Two-lane state highway. 55 mph speed limit. He decided to stop and get some gas, and was turning right into the gas station when he got plowed by a bozo in a Dodge who didn't see his turn signal. Elder son was turning, bozo hit the shoulder and impacted the Kia Sorento on the passenger door, pushing the Kia 230 feet before they both came to a rest. Car totalled, Bozo's Dodge totalled. 13-year-old grandson in front passenger seat unconscious. 9-year-old grandson in back seat rattled. Elder son rattled.
Ambulance came, transported everyone to hospital. I met them at the hospital. About an hour into this exercise, idiot State Trooper came into room, issued Elder Son a ticket for improper turn. I got pissed and told idiot Trooper "We'll see about that." He shrugged his shoulders and left.
Next morning, I call another friend, recently retired state trooper, and highly trained Accident Reconstruction Expert. He's accepted as an expert witness in both state and Federal courts. We go look at accident scene. In about five minutes he tells me what happened and we start taking pictures, taking measurements and drawing sketches so that he can make a reconstruction diagram. He tell me that idiot trooper is a fucking idiot and shouldn't be trusted with anything more complicated that writing speeding tickets. Expert retired trooper estimated the speed of Dodge driver at 88 mph at point of impact, based on vehicle weights, drag co-coefficients and length of travel after impact.
Comes the Court date and Dodge driver shows up. He's salivating at the prospect of a civil suit, as soon as Elder son is found guilty of Improper Turn. We listen to the prosecution, blah, blah, blah, then it's the defense turn and se start taking the story of Idiot Trooper apart, line by line. We introduce testimony from Expert Trooper, along with diagrams, photographs and equations. This is a criminal trial, after all, even if the crime is the misdemeanor of Improper Turn. At the end of the trial, Elder son is found Not Guilty.
Then the Judge turns to the Dodge Driver, who is no longer salivating over a civil suit. Judge tells Dodge Driver "Tell your insurance company to get ready to write a big check. The suit will be heard in this court, and I'm convinced that you were totally at fault."
Judge then turns to Idiot Trooper. "Tell your Captain that you're not allowed to work wrecks in this parish anymore. Better yet, I'll call him in just a minute and tell him that you're not allowed in this parish at all anymore." Judges can do that in Louisiana. Idiot Trooper was no longer allowed in that parish, officially. He could still come camp, or fish, or hunt, but was no longer allowed to enforce the law in that parish.
Several months later, Elder Son settled the civil case, for a nice five-figure number. He split the proceeds with the attorney and was able to buy a pickup truck, and build a nice 30X40 shop on an acre near his house.
I'm still pissed at Idiot Trooper, but he retired shortly thereafter.
