Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1959-07-22, Page 3WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1959 'An Accident Is Just ..." VICTIM OF TRAFFIC CRASH IJ GES PERMIT INSURANCE CE (WRITTEN BY DON SOUTHCOTT IN THE EXETER TI MES -ADVOCATE) Harold Finlay, RR 2, Zurich, can tell the awful truth behind the slogan, "An accident is just a word until you have one." He was involved in a traffic crash on April 20, 1958. His wife was killed, himself and two child- ren hospitalized. Four other child- ren luckily escaped injury. Since then, he's been dogged with months of personal suffering and complex court fights. Add to this the difficullty of a motherless home and a farm to operate and the full impact of his plight comes close to focus—but not very close. No one knows what Harold Finlay has gone through. His story isn't a pleasant one and he tells it with reluctance. There's only one reason he'll allow it to be published: he feels the public should be aware of the problems that can arise from traf- fic accidents, so common now many view them apathetically. His major concern is the need for compulsory auto insurance. "I'll go further than that," he Mates. "We should have permit insurance. Every person should have insurance before he is allow- ed to have a driving permit." "As it is now, those of us who pay heavy premiums year after year are the losers if we have an accident with someone who hasn't bothered to get insurance. Those who have paid nothing get the full benefit; we who buy insurance can recover little." Mr. Finlay is concerned, too, with the legal technicalities through which insurance compan- ies are released from responsibil- ity, technicalities with which the declined to pay on the grounds that the insurance dies when the person for whom it is issued dies. Mr. Finlay's lawyers have sued the company and the case has been heard. But the judge has reserved �t:14r .s z. .rxr. u„ci A New Look .. A New Idea in usenampommassincepearamaisiossoar general public cannot cope. "I've always believed this was a land of law and justice. I know now it's a land of law but I'm not sure of the justice—it appears to me it's pretty well stretched." The Hay Township farmer and his family have been awarded some $31,485 in damages by a supreme court. But, contrary to the belief of some, they haven't received a cent of it. And it may be they won't receive nearly that much nor any part of it for years. In the meantime, of course, there has developed a big backlog of debts "that keep you awake at night." "It's not very pleasant to be owing to people." The court placed 90 percent of the responsibility of the accident, which occurred near Poplar Hill, on the other driver, Ivan Layng, 23. Mr. Finlay's insurance company has long since paid his share of the ten percent but the other portion is embroiled in further legal ac- tion. The car Layng was driving was owned by a cousin, Margaret Campbell. She was willed it by her mother, who died January 20, 1958. While the mother had paid for insurance for a period extend- ing beyond the date of the acci- dent, the insurance company has ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS SE THEY "FILE" YOUR FOODS SYSTEMATICALLY - - In Easy Reach! APINOMI. tea:`... ;.;�,::... •;�4 • v: . '�• • The lIN� New WESTINGHOUSE. REFRIGERATORS are designed to bring you the beauty and conven- ience of "built-in" appliances . . . .. without the heavy expense. COMES IN 4 CABINET COLORS: k * Sugar White * Mint Aqua with your choice of 11 different color panels Frosting Pink Lemon Yellow 13 cu. ft. FROST -FREE Refrigerator with Separate Home Freezer Food -Server deluxe! Generous 75 lb. capacity separate home freezer is insulated to ensure zero degree storage . . . will sharp -freeze foods at below zero temperature. Cold injector refrigerator section has temperature control dial . gives proper cooling degree for your foods. Chills foods faster . keeps foods b etter. Features food serving convenience: Ice Cube Server . Meat Keeper 12 position showall Glide Out Shelves ... Twin por- celain Vegetable Crispers . Tilt -Down, removable Egg Servers Cheese and Butter Servers •. . . 'Left -over' or Relish Servers . . . Extra storage on the door for all sizes of bottles . . . and Magnetic Door has magnet with lifetime guarantee. BUY NOW W- During The WESTINGHOUSE SUMMER SALE at LOW, LOW PRICES ERIPhone 34'ZURUCH 1C SALES and kviv SERVICE Phone 585—SEA{FORTH THE BLOCKSI BROKE, THE BUMPER'S BENT AND HERE AM I WITHOUT A CENT. judgement. There's no indication when it will be handed down. It's a precedent -setting case and one which may seriously affect car drivers. If the judge finds the law favors the company, it will mean that if a driver is killed in an accident, his insurance firm won't be responsible for any of the damages incurred by the driv- er. If the company is held not re- sponsible, the case may then go to the unsatisfied judgement fund, which will occasion further long delays, as well as at least a two - third reduction in the benefit. Mr. Finlay has had other insur- ance problems. He had an auto insurance policy which provided benefits for total disability. From April 20, the day of the accident, until August 5, he could not work and the company paid him for this period. However, on August 5 the farmer's doctor unsuspectingly suggested he try some "light trac- tor work" to determine if it was possible at all. Someone saw him get on the tractor that day when he tried two or three times to plow before giving up. Although the test proved he could not work at that point, the fact that he did do some—and someone saw it—the insurance company was legally en- titled to stop payment and it did so. These are some of the Major legal problems, There have been many smaller ones. For example, because it was his car which' came to rest against a hydro pole, Mr. Finlay has been presented with the bill for minor repairs to the pole. The bill isn't minor, of course. And there have been countless trips to hospital for treatment, many expensive drugs, pains and numbness, arthritis and even gan- grene for this farmer. • He's doing farm work now, but only a limited amount because of internal injuries. Even if financial compensation is made, it would be far from re- placing the most heartrending loss of all—a wife and mother. 1 But Mr. Finlay has been fortu- nate in having an 18 -year-old dau- , ghter, Elizabeth, who has taken over many of her mother's duties. "She's been wonderful," he says with pride, "and so have the other children; I don't think I could have come through all this with- out them." He has John, 17; Mary, 16; Em- ma, 14; Jimmy, 12, and Margaret, 9. In addition to this help, the Hay farmer is grateful to the support he's received from his neighbors, fellow churchmen, and Zurich dist- (By Hensall Sale Prices our Hensall Correspondent) Butcher steers. $25.50 to $26; medium steers, $24.50 to $25; but- cher steers, $24.50 to $25; fat cows, $15 to $17; good cows, $18 to $19; light cows, $20.50 to $21.50; bab- ies, $25 to $26.50; veal calves, $25 to $28; small calves, $12 to $18; good bull calves, $22 to $38; Hol- stein heifer calves, $25 to $42; Durham calves, $46 to $63; wean- ling pigs, $8.50 to $9.50; chunks, $10 to $13.50; feeders, $14 to $22; sows, $68 to $74. aresemerMasieresemarmeagere ROCK of ACES EVENTIDE AND MEMtRI .LLS INQUIRIES ARE INVITED T. PRIME and SON EXETER Clinton Seaforth Phone 41 HU 2-6606 573 FRET NOT MY FRIEND, NOR WORRIED BE JUST HITCH A RIDE TO T.O.C. PAGE THREE HAROLD FINLAY RECOVERS, TACKLES FARM AGAIN ... Zurich District Farmer, Family In Accident Year Ago rict people, who have contributed in many ways--. financial and ma- terial donations, assistance with crops, credit from storekeepers, to mention some. sometimes it seems like a mighty long haul." I hope people realize that that slogan means what it says — an accident is just a word until you "We'll get through., I'm sure, but have one." WE Ar READY TO SERVE YOU !! :<y'.'ul�;iS's3':::M"c.. �'3.`.i9,c 3:%.:�i§%�".z�r'.i.t�?ik.CSc�t..'.:x�,<'t2:'x'°c•�k`.a'c~"��,.�,'.'y�'��.<:.s�e'�a.S�M DAILY DELIVERY IN ZURICH AND LAKE HURON DISTRICT. FOR A TASTY TREAT, TRY— BORDEN'S ICE CREAM Bricks, Half -Gallons, Bars, Dixie Cups *Pasteurized & Homogenized Milk & Cream Chocolate Milk Butter and Eggs BROUGHT TO YOUR DOOR FRESH EACH DAY Z ICH "QUALITY COUNTS, TASTE TELLS THE DIFFERENCEYe 'SERVICE WITH A SMILE"—AND HOW! WE'LLSOON BE. FIXED AND ROLLING NOW ! TNEMORAL'S PLAIN FOR ALTO SEE,., 'WHEN YOU NEED CASH SEE T.C.C:` TRANS CANADA CREDIT CORPORATION L I M ITE D 148 THE SQUARE, PHONE 797 GODERICH, ONT. Do You Need Cash for Car Repairs? Whether it's for car repairs or any.other good reason-- when you need cash, see Trans Canada Credit. This all -Canadian firm can let you have from $150. to $2,500. or more. Take up to 20 or 80 months, depending on the plan you choose. Call today.