I completed a wedding and had a bicycle wreck a week later. I broke my clavicle, nearly ripped my left ear off, and had a concussion. After a week of healing, I completely re-broke the clavicle. Nearly three weeks later, one of my three boys jumped on me and cracked my clavicle again, but not a 100% break that time.
Due to my injurioes I have been unable to complete the proof album and DVD slideshow in a timely manner. I'm able to work at the computer again, and I'll have their products ready soon. The clients have been very understanding and patient, but I'd like to do something for them to make up for the delay. I'm thinking a gift card to a restaurant, extra enlargements for free, or possibly a partial refund.
RichardLavigne wrote:
I think perhaps a gift card or extra enlargements should be ok.... sounds like you had a terrible wreck, how'd it happen?
I used to ride on a racing team in Virginia Beach, and I've been into mountain biking since living in Upstate New York and now Colorado for 13 years. I have had countless wrecks over many years, but have never been injured (in a bike wreck, anyway). My wife and I own a coffee shop here in Colorado Springs. We had some really nice weather in November and I rode my bike over to our coffee shop. When I left, someone called my name. I looked over my shoulder for just a second and when I looked back, someone had opened a side door that almost never gets used. I smacked into it pretty hard (about 15-20 mph). I got up and could tell immediately that my collar bone was broken. I walked back into our shop and my wife asked what I was doing coming back. I told her I broke my collar bone. I have a quirky sense of humor and she thought I was joking! She didn't believe me until she saw all the blood starting to drip down the front from my split ear. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND NOT RUNNING INTO STEEL COMMERCIAL DOORS ON YOUR BIKE!
No one I know is surprised that I've re-injured it several times. I've had six knee surgeries, an ankle reconstruction, too many stitches and concussions to count. I was 'the guy' who would have knee surgery, then rip the stitches out three days later playing soccer or something. Yep, I'm that guy. Now I have three boys who act just like I did, and it scares me to death!
I actually just got out of the hospital for a saddle pulmonary embolism, the worst one you could have. I was in the hospital for 12 days, and most people were very, very understanding. For those who were, I am offering 3 free 8x10's from the shoot of their choice (choosing wedding, engagement, and bridal), and just a small gesture like that thrills them.
You're lucky that EVERYONE understood. My contract states I have 8-12 weeks to deliver the final album once my client gives me his/her photo choices (10 photos out of 50). She gave them to me Oct. 15 and I went into the hospital Nov. 6. She emailed me in the ICU demanding that I give her the album right then or she'd take further action. She ended up reporting us to the BBB because I wasn't delivering the product in a timely manner, and demanding a free $400 CD that wasn't in her package, even when I was well within contractual limits. My husband went home that night and designed and mailed it to her. Our contract was rock solid, so we sent documentation of everything, even receipt of the album to the BBB, and everything was dropped administratively by them, but not by her. The BBB followed up with her to see if she was satisfied before the case was dropped, and she said no because she didn't get the CD.
PLEASE make sure your contract is solid on limits of liability, acts of God, and delivery times to make sure that you can benefit and be protected in the same way; you never know what people will pull. It all boiled down to the fact that she didn't read her contract (everything was spelled out in there about when she would receive everything, even in the event of an emergency).
JD Anderson wrote:
I used to ride on a racing team in Virginia Beach, and I've been into mountain biking since living in Upstate New York and now Colorado for 13 years. I have had countless wrecks over many years, but have never been injured (in a bike wreck, anyway). My wife and I own a coffee shop here in Colorado Springs. We had some really nice weather in November and I rode my bike over to our coffee shop. When I left, someone called my name. I looked over my shoulder for just a second and when I looked back, someone had opened a side door that almost never gets used. I smacked into it pretty hard (about 15-20 mph). I got up and could tell immediately that my collar bone was broken. I walked back into our shop and my wife asked what I was doing coming back. I told her I broke my collar bone. I have a quirky sense of humor and she thought I was joking! She didn't believe me until she saw all the blood starting to drip down the front from my split ear. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND NOT RUNNING INTO STEEL COMMERCIAL DOORS ON YOUR BIKE!
No one I know is surprised that I've re-injured it several times. I've had six knee surgeries, an ankle reconstruction, too many stitches and concussions to count. I was 'the guy' who would have knee surgery, then rip the stitches out three days later playing soccer or something. Yep, I'm that guy. Now I have three boys who act just like I did, and it scares me to death!
Goodness, you sound like my husband. I swear that man will be in a wheel chair at the age of 40.
Glad you are on the mend! I'm also glad your clients are understanding. As a client, I would feel really weird if I knew the situation and then suddenly got a bunch of stuff from the photographer. So I agree with others -- maybe a few extra prints, or something creative. But don't go overboard or they may feel guilty! And then there's cathy's clients...
