Anybody ever get served summons?

upsgrunt

Well-Known Member
Today I got served a summons naming myself and UPS as defendants in a suit because of an accident in a package car 18 months ago. The plaintiffs still live on my route and this is really rattling my cage as this is Saturday and I wont be able to talk to anyone at UPS until Monday. I rear ended the woman (alone) on December 20th, 2005 at very low speed. She is suing me and UPS and her husband is suing me and UPS and all four counts are " in excess of $50,000 and they demand a trial by jury. Has this ever happened to anyone else? I've never had anything like this happen to me or even be in trouble with the law before and I don't know what to expect. Do I need to have my own lawyer or will UPS represent me as well since I was on duty and in a package car at the time? This sue happy world really ticks me off as people see what they think is just an easy way to create wealth. The lady didn't even go to the hospital and now 18 months later this. If anybody can tell me something that would calm my nerves I would appreciate it.
Thanks all!!
 

helenofcalifornia

Well-Known Member
That is a great PCM topic. The camera phone is an ideal witness to the accident and its victims. Good thinking. And I would imagine that UPS would be representing you in this case. Shame to think that they will probably settle and pay off the "victims."
 

RockyRogue

Agent of Change
Today I got served a summons naming myself and UPS as defendants in a suit because of an accident in a package car 18 months ago. The plaintiffs still live on my route and this is really rattling my cage as this is Saturday and I wont be able to talk to anyone at UPS until Monday. I rear ended the woman (alone) on December 20th, 2005 at very low speed. She is suing me and UPS and her husband is suing me and UPS and all four counts are " in excess of $50,000 and they demand a trial by jury. Has this ever happened to anyone else? I've never had anything like this happen to me or even be in trouble with the law before and I don't know what to expect. Do I need to have my own lawyer or will UPS represent me as well since I was on duty and in a package car at the time? This sue happy world really ticks me off as people see what they think is just an easy way to create wealth. The lady didn't even go to the hospital and now 18 months later this. If anybody can tell me something that would calm my nerves I would appreciate it.
Thanks all!!

I was served a summonses once. It was related to my work but it wasn't UPS. I was called as a witness in an incident relating to my work as a student security guard at an Illinois four year institution. Grunt, aren't you in Illinois? If I recall your location, the school wasn't far from you. ANYWAY, I got home around 7:00 p.m. from a new job on-campus and checked my mailbox. Inside was a post-card, issuing a subpoena. I was totally, 100% freaked. I grabbed my cell, FLEW out of my apartment and started a heavy jog towards the sheriff's office, where I was to pick up the subpoena. I got there and lo and behold...its after business hours! The operator on the other end of the intercom sends somebody out to take my postcard and hand me the subpoena. I was as nervous as you are, Grunt. I read the subpoena and got the name of the defendant, who has the right to call witnesses. I asked the deputy what this was about and he said he had no idea. I asked to speak to his supervisor because I wanted an explanation! He said, "My supervisor won't know anything. You'll have to call the State's Attorney." That didn't calm my nerves. I called my folks and asked to speak to my father. He was a little busy and one of my siblings asked what I wanted. I told them to get a piece of paper and I'd spell out one word for them. They were annoyed but did so. I spelled out subpoena for them and told them to give it to Dad. They did. I could hear his footsteps as he ran to the phone. He told me to read what the first line and I did. Like you, Grunt, I had a case of badly rattled nerves. My Dad said, "OK, OK. RELAX! If you were talking to me from the other side of a jail-cell, I'd be freaking out but that's not the case." I read the entire page to him and I could hear him writing down a few pertinent facts--names, etc. He was a little stressed out, too. He said, "Didn't you tell me about an incident last Spring with Campus Security? You were involved in a routine campus security operation that went down badly, right?" It clicked. He was right. I checked County Records (GOD BLESS THE INTERNET AT 11 P.M. ON A SATURDAY NIGHT!!!!!) and sure enough, that was the incident. Then, I went in to talk to my bosses about the whole thing and find out why I hadn't been apprised of this development before I was subpoenaed. They didn't have an answer, grumbling something about it most likely being the school's legal counsel that didn't communicate. I got copies of the paperwork we'd filed after the incident and went home. The State's Attorney dropped several charges in the incident and reduced the others.

My understanding is UPS will cover the damages and provide a lawyer. Just about every job I've held has had something mentioned in the Employee Handbook about legal actions stemming from my work.

That 18 month time frame is probably just barely going to make the statute of limitations. I believe its 24 months in Illinois but I could be wrong.

Enjoy your weekend, man!!! Don't let it rattle ya too much. My nerves about destroyed mine when I was summoned. Go in to work a little early Monday and give the summons to your center manager and ask him what the deal is. UPS'll give you answers. -Rocky
 

tieguy

Banned
Grunt this is ups case to defend. Fishing expedition for some quick money or they would be asking for a lot more. Relax and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
 

area43

Well-Known Member
Grunt, Ive read alot of your post and I feel for you. Grunt you seem like a honest and consiousness person. Im a christian, not always the best, as you can tell by some of my post.lol but, Ill be praying for you.

Anyhow, I had a similar experience. When I was 19(1984) I worked as a life guard at a place called Lake Delores in Newberry Springs, California located in the Mojave(J pronouced as an H) desert. I grew up out there in the desert. I loved it. Tho I reside in Virgina, my heart will always be in the desert. Oh Boy, Im getting side track here folks. new paragraph needed.

Lake Delores, was an old school type of water park. All the slides were galvanized steel, none of this fiberglass sh*it. LOL All the people down in the beach areas would come up to this place and party, ride the slides and camp. It was crazy. Booze and water as you know dont mix. I have to tell you about a couple of the rides. One slide you actually stood up going down, kind of like a slip and slide, that was a 150 ft long with sides on it to run your hands along to keep balanced. Your speed would vary between 20 and 25 miles an hour (depending on weight), it had a roughly 30 to 40 degee sloop. It was wild and fun. Then there was the tram, it consisted of a 150 ft of cable that was held by two telephone poles. The cable was about 25 ft off the ground as it reached the top of the hill it would obviously get closer to the ground. There was 2 little steel wheels that rode along the to top of the cable and connected to them was a wood handle, thats what you held onto, no safety stuff. A garden hose was attached to the tram and hung down in the water. The rider had to grab the hose,swim across the lake,walk up the hot dirt mtn, get on the platform at the top and ride down. Well this is where the lawsuit came into play, this over weight, lets just say overly healthy lady wanted to ride the tram, I said OK, but make sure you can hold your own weight, because when you start off theres no water underneath you, if you fall your SOL. Guess what folks,see didnt make it, she fell while still over the ground,her big 200 plus pound body went tumbling end over end, down the mtn. She finished rolling 2 feet from the water. Im remember running up to her and one of the first words that came out of her mouth was,"My left leg is broke, and dont worry Im not going to sue."

Fast forward, A few years later, Im in Virgina and I get a call, Guess who it is? A Lawyer representing the lake, the Lady decided to sue. A Long story short, they paid for all my expenses, flight,hotel,food and transportation. They just wanted to get my deposition(teletype court reading). It was kind of like a 4 day vacation, beside the one day I had to give the deposition. I never new what ever became of the whole thing, I felt bad for the owners of the lake. Very good people. They had you sign a wavier, before you went into the lake, but I dont know how much that really matters.

Sorry for going so long Grunt. Hang Tuff, stay cool and everything will be allright. ( :
 

upsgrunt

Well-Known Member
Thanks area43-I am what you thought and also a devout Christian. I appreciate the prayers and the kind thoughts and feel better than I did several hours ago. I am nervous, but aggravated that society is so sue happy any more these days. I just hope that UPS does not cave in to these people and puts up a fight. As a Christian it is wrong to be vindictive, but I also think that justice needs to be served and these people need to get some of their own medicine. Example: I still deliver to their house frequently. I hope I never slip on their bare wooden steps! Sorry for thinking that; it is not right.
 

area43

Well-Known Member
Thanks area43-I am what you thought and also a devout Christian. I appreciate the prayers and the kind thoughts and feel better than I did several hours ago. I am nervous, but aggravated that society is so sue happy any more these days. I just hope that UPS does not cave in to these people and puts up a fight. As a Christian it is wrong to be vindictive, but I also think that justice needs to be served and these people need to get some of their own medicine. Example: I still deliver to their house frequently. I hope I never slip on their bare wooden steps! Sorry for thinking that; it is not right.

Grunt, just read the old test, God dosent mess around when it comes to dishonesty or just plan evilness.
 

maybrown

is not a woman
Today I got served a summons naming myself and UPS as defendants in a suit because of an accident in a package car 18 months ago. The plaintiffs still live on my route and this is really rattling my cage as this is Saturday and I wont be able to talk to anyone at UPS until Monday. I rear ended the woman (alone) on December 20th, 2005 at very low speed. She is suing me and UPS and her husband is suing me and UPS and all four counts are " in excess of $50,000 and they demand a trial by jury. Has this ever happened to anyone else? I've never had anything like this happen to me or even be in trouble with the law before and I don't know what to expect. Do I need to have my own lawyer or will UPS represent me as well since I was on duty and in a package car at the time? This sue happy world really ticks me off as people see what they think is just an easy way to create wealth. The lady didn't even go to the hospital and now 18 months later this. If anybody can tell me something that would calm my nerves I would appreciate it.
Thanks all!!

This is a scary story because I am the same boat with you.
The guy I hit is not happy with a settlement from Liberty Mutual.
In Illinois the time frame is 2 years after accident so he has a lot time to consul a lawyer.
 

Griff

Well-Known Member
You'll be defended by company lawyers and this [SIZE=-1]will never see the inside of a courtroom (sadly)[/SIZE].
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
"I still deliver to their house frequently."

This is what would bother me. Can they look you in the eye when you see them? I would get a signature from now on just so I could look at them in disgust.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
"If it was me I would have the center put that stop on another driver as least as long as legal proceedings are going on."

That would be the smart thing to do.

(I'm just not that smart)
 

HazMatMan

Well-Known Member
Heavy drinking is always an option.:) But in all seriousness I have seen a few drivers involved in legal matters and all were defended by the company paid lawyers.
Until these kind of people are forced to pay the legal fees of those they sue if they lose this will continue to happen. One of our rules of thumb is to carry a camera phone to take pics if theres an accident of the the so called injured walking around before the cops get there.

Sometimes accident victims adrenaline is so high they don't know they are hurt or can't feel the pain.(taking pics of the so-called injured may be a moot point) I guess anyone getting hit by a UPS truck especially in the rear, see dollar signs, which I can't blame them in this day and age...
 

HazMatMan

Well-Known Member
That is a great PCM topic. The camera phone is an ideal witness to the accident and its victims. Good thinking. And I would imagine that UPS would be representing you in this case. Shame to think that they will probably settle and pay off the "victims."

If you were a "victim"(off the clock, in your own vehicle) of an accident with a large company vehicle (perhaps fed-ex or a wal-mart vehicle) and it was their fault, and you were not so "injured" but you thought there could be a chance of getting a little something (say, 15,000 to 50,000 thousand dollars) wouldn't you contact a lawyer to see if you had a case?? anyone who says no is not being honest.
 

Brownnblue

Well-Known Member
If you were a "victim"(off the clock, in your own vehicle) of an accident with a large company vehicle (perhaps fed-ex or a wal-mart vehicle) and it was their fault, and you were not so "injured" but you thought there could be a chance of getting a little something (say, 15,000 to 50,000 thousand dollars) wouldn't you contact a lawyer to see if you had a case?? anyone who says no is not being honest.

A sad, but very interesting post. I very rarely get to watch any TV in the morning or afternoon, but when I do I am amazed at the amount of lawyer commercials, asking you to please call their 1-800 number if you think you've been injured. Ambulance chasing in the new millennium, I guess.
 
A

Anon

Guest
Becareful when taking pictures of an accident your involved in remember they can also be used for the otherside.
 

HazMatMan

Well-Known Member
Becareful when taking pictures of an accident your involved in remember they can also be used for the otherside.

Yeah, I don't think it would be wise taking pictures after you rear end someone, especially when you are driving a big brown truck worth 35 billion dollars..
 

BCFan

Well-Known Member
Dude dont sweat it its not about you its about the (sic) victims making a easy payday ....it sux for sure but it WILL be alright i promise ya :thumbup1::thumbup1: BC .....(not Baseless Claim)
 

Chnandler Bong

Well-Known Member
If you were a "victim"(off the clock, in your own vehicle) of an accident with a large company vehicle (perhaps fed-ex or a wal-mart vehicle) and it was their fault, and you were not so "injured" but you thought there could be a chance of getting a little something (say, 15,000 to 50,000 thousand dollars) wouldn't you contact a lawyer to see if you had a case?? anyone who says no is not being honest.


Not if I wasn't actually hurt!!! And I take offense to your statement about not being honest if anyone disagrees with your point of view. If you lie about being injured.....you're not being honest!!!!
 
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