Sober for 2 years, hit by a drunk driver last week. The irony is not lost on me.

The emotional part of what you're describing — that weird lack of anger — I felt that after my accident too and it really threw me off. People kept asking if I was furious and I just... wasn't. I think sometimes shock does that, and sometimes you genuinely arrive at a place of understanding faster than you expect. Either way it doesn't mean you don't deserve full accountability from everyone involved.

First thing: do NOT give a recorded statement to any insurance company — including your own — until you know what you're dealing with. They will ask you leading questions about how you're feeling and use 'I'm doing okay' against you later when you're still treating that rib. I learned this the hard way. Just tell them you're still under medical care and not ready to give a statement yet.

If the other driver was DUI and caused the accident, his liability coverage (assuming he has any) should be your first source of recovery. But here's the thing — a lot of impaired drivers are either uninsured or carrying bare minimum limits. Pull out your own policy and look for Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage. That's what it's literally there for. Your own insurer handles it but they still don't always volunteer that information upfront.

Please take the concussion seriously. I know it can feel like 'just a headache' a few days out, but concussion symptoms can shift and worsen over the first couple of weeks — sleep disruption, mood changes, light sensitivity, memory stuff. Make sure your doctor has it documented and follow up if anything changes. Don't let the rib and wrist distract from it just because it's invisible on an x-ray.

A few practical things worth doing right now if you haven't: (1) Get the police report number and order a copy as soon as it's available — usually a few days. (2) Start a running log of every symptom, every missed work shift, every medical visit. Even a notes app works. (3) Keep every receipt related to the accident — prescriptions, copays, anything. Documentation is everything in these claims and it's almost impossible to reconstruct later.

I know this is a lot, but the fact that you walked away — cracked rib and all — from a T-bone bad enough to push your truck into a ditch is genuinely remarkable. And the clarity you have right now about who you are and the work you've done? Nobody can take that from you. That 'I have nothing to hide' moment you described sounds like it mattered.

Stop waiting to feel ready and call a personal injury attorney this week. You've got medical bills, lost wages, and a totaled truck. The emotional peace you've found is beautiful, but it doesn't pay for any of that. You can be compassionate toward the other driver AND still pursue every dollar you're owed. Those two things aren't in conflict.