My life was
changed on March 5th, 2006. I was driving back to my apartment after doing my
grocery shopping. I was very happy about all the things I had done that day.
I had met with people in my community and old friends to pray and eat together.
I was wearing my traditional dress to show my long-time girlfriend. We had a
good time as we dined at a Mexican restaurant. We were laughing and enjoying
making future plans together.
Returning
home, I was traveling east on Devon street and was preparing to make a left turn on
Gleanwood. As I got closer, I slowed down to stop at the red light. I heard a
police siren and then saw a police van on the other side of the traffic lights.
Before I could understand what was happening, I saw a car coming from behind
another car that had stopped at the red light across from me. Driving
erratically and out of control, the car then struck me from the front.
It happened so fast. I felt like I was going to die.
It was a
drunk driver that was being chased by the police van. He came from nowhere to hit
me head-on. The impact from the crash was so hard that I felt like my body was no
longer under my control. I saw a police officer running to me but I couldn’t say
a word. I saw my body start to shake and shiver and I had no control over it.
The next thing I knew,
I was in a hospital bed with lots of medical equipment around me. I couldn’t move.
My body wouldn’t listen to my mind. Those were the weirdest feelings I have ever
had in my life. There were lots of tubes connected to various parts of my body.
I could especially feel the tube they put in my throat.
I was in
the hospital for four days. When I was released, I could hardly walk. Two of my
friends helped me get from the hospital to my apartment. I couldn’t sleep or move
around. I couldn’t do anything. I am grateful for my friends who came to check
on me and would bring me food.
My whole back
was hurting badly, especially my lower back, where I had a hairline fracture. I
still have to take painkillers because it hurts so much, especially when I try to
lift some weights or sit in one position for a long time. Even though I went
through therapy for two to three months, I still don’t feel the way I did before
the crash. I can’t work but I still have to pay my rent, and telephone bills,
along with paying for the food I eat and the medicine I need. I again thank my
friends who helped me pay my rent and other bills.
My girlfriend came over
and took good care of me. We got married and I moved in to her apartment. My life
was good before the crash. I had been supporting myself well and enjoying time
with my girlfriend. The crash threw me into a deep depression. I was in pain
and put into a miserable position financially. My blood pressure is high most
of the time and my hands shake while trying to do anything. My medical bills
are piling up into the thousands and thousands which has been a huge headache
for me. Moreover, three of them (so far) reported me to credit collectors.
Also my friends are now asking me to pay back the money I borrowed to help
pay my rent and telephone bills, which is a very difficult situation for me.
These factors
and many others make my life very hard. And it all started with the negligence
of the culprit who was driving while drunk. He probably paid twenty or thirty
dollars for his booze but he’s made me have to pay fifty to sixty thousand dollars,
and he almost paralyzed me for the rest of my life. I’ve been living with so much
tension since the crash that my black hair has grown grey.
I am
not a lawmaker but I have some things to say so that in the end, people don’t
suffer or get penalized because of someone’s fault, mistake, wrong-doing or act.
I did not choose to go to the hospital the ambulance took me to. I didn’t
authorize medical care. I didn’t ask any doctor to give me treatment. Then
why in the world am I responsible for all of the above sending me huge bills?
It was not my fault that I became the victim of someone else’s crime. Whoever
is at fault should have to pay for all the bills which occurred due to their
actions. I feel I should be compensated.
God bless us all,
Nazim Muhammad
