Going It Alone:

For almost seven years I have been dealing with injuries suffered in an auto accident; trying to find out what was wrong with me, get the diagnosises and appropriate treatments.

This is all well and good but it is only part of the problem. The biggest and most difficult part is trying to cope with the results of the insurance company, their claims adjusters and their lawyer's actions of intentional inflictional of emotional and financial harm based on the fact that I am a lesbian.

The previous journal entries here are tedious and difficult to read about. It is even more difficult to live it day to day. To experience the slow decline of finances, emotional health and the inability to keep up the work involved in day to day living with my body, what happened to my body, trying to live, trying to get someone to listen, trying to find someone who can help me take this to civil court as advised by most everyone who hears my story and even by the Dept. of Insurance here in NC. I have two letters in my possession advising me to file a lawsuit against Auto-Owners Insurance Company.

Why? To expose this company to the public, to gain a monetary settlement, award and/or judgement against the above mentioned parties as punishment for their actions and as a payment to me for the infliction of emotional and financial distress and to pay off my creditors and to be able to buy the treatments and medication I need to have to survive.

Today I received in the mail a judgement against me for Discover Card in the amount of $7,000; they threatened to confiscate all my assets. I was threatened with a lawsuit by a previous dentist. Even IRS is threatening legal action against me. I owe other credit cards and doctor bills that will soon become lawsuits against me as well.

I am living on $990 a month on SSDI, no longer able to work, no medical insurance and no way to pay for doctor's visits and medicine. The costs for prescriptions alone is $658 a month; for heart meds, anti-depressants and pain medications.

The accident and subsequent injuries and illnesses are all a direct result of the car accident. These injuries and illnesses have become so severe over the years it became impossible to work. The Social Security Administration agreed with me because they awarded me SSDI the first application without and attorney.

Because of my financial decline (income has gone from $34,000 to about 10,000) I cannot pay my credit cards at all, had some late payment on my house, my vehicle came within a week of being repossed while I was waiting for an answer about the SSDI. In Nov.1997, my credit was outstanding. I was able to find my potential home and close all within two weeks. Now my credit is in terrible condition.

The insurance policies that were available to cover the costs of my injuries and illnesses and the financial burden imposed by the above was $200,000. Because of the actions of the insurance company and their lawyer in mediation; threats of exposure of homosexuality in court of myself and two of my witnesses I was forced to accept a settlement of $21,000. My two witnesses who are also lesbians are school teachers and would have lost their jobs if it became known and their lawyer was well aware of this fact. I could have lost my job as well.

I have documents which can prove everything I have written in this entire blog.

I have letters from the NC Dept of Insurance proving that the insurance company, claims adjuster and the lawyer lied during it's investigation of my complaint to them.

I have a letter from an employee in management of the insurance company threatening me with legal action if I don't cease to stop telling people about this case.

The mediator in this case, Judge Chase Saunders made a statement to me in mediation out of the hearing of the lawyer and reps of the insurance company that because I am gay I will not get one penny more than the $21,000 they offered me. Judge Saunders said this case (he was a judge in superior and district courts) should have brought a minimum of $175,000 and that in all his years he had never seen such deliberate misrepresentation of medical facts and mistreatment of a plantiff. He would make an excellent witness because he is a kind, honest and well respected man in this area.

I need help. I cannot find a lawyer; I have contacted perhaps thirty or so for assistance and none of them will take this case because of the issue of homosexuality. All of them have stated they want no part of this case because the chances of winning here in NC to them is very small. I disagree completely.

The mediation took place in Feb. 2004 so the statute of limitations for the tort of deliberate infliction of severe emotional and financial distress has not passed.

Next page, what happened today that reflects what happens in my days almost on a regular basis. I am even afraid to check the mail now.