It is 1 year since I banged my head on the highway. All the VA's horses and all the VA's men (and especially women) have put Humpty Dumpty back together again - pretty much as far as possible. Each week has been a little better than the last - with today being so far away from those first blurry, dizzy, painful days - as to strain what is left of my short-term memory to its limit.
The cost of all this care has been rather large. Thank you taxpayers very much (not you 47% types though). The Veteran's Administration would very much like to get that money back and has brought me a lawyer to try to recover it from those who put the big tar blob in the road - the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans).
Of course I have talked to CalTrans. First from my hospital bed, then wheelchair, then from home - "FIX THE DAMN ROAD!" Such requests were seconded by the police and city. A Freedom of Information search finds that there are no CalTrans records of any complaint about that piece of road ... Sigh!
As readers of this blog know, I did pry up that big tar blob that got me, and took it home. But the others blobs, and the holes they use to fill, were still there last week. So I did what any reader of Article One of the Constitution would do, and petitioned my "government for a redress of grievances" - to wit, my State Representative (who happens to be running for re-election). Four days later, the road is patched. Is this a great system of government or what!
But CalTrans will only talk about repaying the VA if I sue. To sue, I have to hire a personal injury law firm who wants to use all my pain and suffering,mental disablity, loss of future earnings, missing nookie, etc. etc. to "take 'em for a bundle" - and also take 50% off the top.
I asked CalTrans to forgo court and just repay the VA and we'll call it a day. More taxpayer's money won't make me any better, so, instead of feeding the lawyers, use the money to fix the damn roads. Alas, that does not seem to be the way the world works.
- Road Rage Rod
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