The last update on Lunchbox was that his back was hurting after being involved in a car accident, and everyone was telling him he needed to go to the emergency room.
Lunchbox went to the ER by himself, thinking they would rush him back because of the accident. That did not happen. Instead, he was told to sit in the waiting room. He waited there for two hours. He told staff he had been in a car accident, but when they found out it had happened a few days earlier and that he drove himself to the hospital, he was sent back to wait. When he was finally taken back, they only checked his vitals and sent him right back to the waiting room again. After more waiting, a nurse brought him into a small cubicle and began asking questions and checking his spine. She pressed along his back and asked if he was having pain, trouble urinating, or going to the bathroom on himself. She explained that those questions were to rule out a spinal cord injury.
Lunchbox was ultimately prescribed muscle relaxers. He was told he could not drive while taking them and was asked about daily prescriptions, which led to an awkward moment when Cialis appeared on his chart. Lunchbox explained it had been prescribed for stomach pain. He left the hospital with muscle relaxers and instructions to let them do their job.
About 30 minutes after leaving the hospital, he was informed the ER visit would cost $2,000. He told them he had been in a car wreck and was not paying that bill out of pocket. The hospital instructed him to forward the bill to insurance. Shortly after getting home, Lunchbox received a phone call from the other driver’s insurance company. He had not known whether the other driver was insured, so the call came as a relief. The insurance representative confirmed the accident and asked for his version of events. Lunchbox explained he was stopped in traffic when the other driver hit him from behind at a high speed without braking. The insurance company told him they would handle car repairs, medical bills and would contact the body shop where his car was already being repaired. Lunchbox was told they would be in touch with next steps.
While checking out at the hospital, someone in billing mentioned her daughter had been rear-ended and received a $15,000 settlement, which immediately caught Lunchbox’s attention. Lunchbox expects to hear more from the insurance company within a few days and plans to follow up if needed. He also mentioned possibly getting a copy of the police report, which costs $10, to see exactly what was documented about the accident. He may bring the report in and read it once he gets it, so to be continued.
