Thanks Byron. I'll get through this but it's definitely a bummer. I accept that I could have probably reacted differently and keep replaying what I remember but it happened so fast. I'm not one to usually sue but everything I read in the days immediately after indicated at least protection by attorney and they accepted. I found out the extent of my injuries a week later, their lasting effects and how low the rate of survival is in that kind of crash I was shocked.
I thought it was just shredded soft tissue and bruised ribs at first. The ortho came in the day after my MRI and asked me how the hell I was sitting in front of him and back at work....he then explained the damage to my back/neck. The attorneys were shocked too and said that the case was much different now. I've read that settlements for one herniated disc can be 50-350k. I have no idea what to expect with the multiple I have plus the fractured spine but I realize that it will be mitigated by any liability assessed to me. I just refuse to accept that it was completely my fault. I know that I would never do what the other driver did and they had a much less severe impact. I was told by police that their injuries were not serious but I also thought mine weren't immediately after. Just glad nobody died and my family was not in the car.