Being in a car accident is traumatizing enough, but encountering towing scams afterward is unacceptable. Predatory towing companies and unscrupulous tow truck drivers often take advantage of victims through car accident scams designed to inflate costs or commit car accident insurance fraud.
When a tow truck arrives, it’s important to stay vigilant and confirm the legitimacy of the service to avoid falling victim. Some tow truck scams involve unauthorized towing or exorbitant fees, leaving victims at the mercy of the towing companies during a stressful time. Dealing with these scams can be even more difficult if you’re managing back or neck pain from a possible whiplash injury.
To protect yourself, contact your insurance company immediately and seek advice from car accident lawyers after towing scam incidents. Having a legal advocate ensures you’re not left vulnerable to predatory practices, helping you recover both physically and financially.
If you have one of our car accident lawyer by your side, you can avoid not only the monetary costs of your pain and suffering, but also the stress and humiliation of being taken advantage of by the very people who are supposed to help you through a difficult situation.
Don’t Let Anyone Call a Towing Company for You
Another number that you’ll want to keep a copy of in your car is that of a local towing company, or your AAA card. If you’ve been in a car accident it’s important that you call your own towing company rather than allowing the police or another first responder to do it for you. Unfortunately it’s very common for first responders to work with predatory towing companies who will gratuitously overcharge you.
First, they’ll show up, load your car onto their truck, and then show you the bill. If you decline their service, they’ll attempt to charge you to remove the car from their truck. Because of this it’s important to keep any towing company that you didn’t personally call from touching your vehicle before you’ve negotiated a price. Incidentally, negotiating a price isn’t so easy when you’re in shock or suffering from whiplash, which is, again, why it’s best to be prepared before anything happens.
Call Your Insurance Company
If you don’t have AAA or a previous relationship with a towing company, you can avoid trouble by calling your car insurance and asking them what local businesses they work with and cover. If you’re dealing with a car accident injury this might be a bit too much to deal with right after an accident, however, so it’s better to be prepared ahead of time. If you’re determined to go this route then you should keep your insurance representative’s number in your phone, along with that of a car accident attorney, so that you don’t need to assemble any information before you can start making calls.
Get one of our Car Accident Lawyers
CarAccidentAttorney.com are specialists in dealing with these cases, and they’ll be familiar with all the ways that someone might try to take advantage of your situation. It’s a good idea to keep one of our personal injury lawyers in your car so that you have it ready when you need it. Try to call us after you’ve made sure that everyone is safe, but before you sign anything or make any official statements? it’s even better if you can get them on the phone before the police arrive. In any case, remember never to admit fault at the scene of the accident, and get someone you can trust to help you through the crisis.