I became permanently disabled from a car accident. The other driver had the state minimum insurance. I had a 100k under-insured policy. After the lawyer got 40%, I got the equivalent of about a half year of salary. I was only 45, can't work anymore, and had to move out of the country to survive.

For most people in the U.S., you must have a car if you want to survive, like it or not. I hated it. Now, I am medically unable to drive after the accident. So I moved to Europe where we have robust public transport... and public healthcare!