Information about Staged Auto Accidents from Tampa Automobile Accidents Lawyer Dale Appell, P.A.

Whether you drive on the Veterans Expressway in Tampa, Belcher Road in Clearwater, or Central Avenue in St Petersburg, you could become the victim of auto accident fraud at any time in the Tampa Bay area. Auto accident fraud, also known as staged auto accidents, are traps set by criminals who want to force you into an auto accident and then reap the benefits by making a claim on your auto insurance policy. Staged auto accidents entail a few different scenarios, but Tampa automobile accidents lawyer Dale Appell, P.A. believes that drivers who are aware of how staged auto accidents might occur are better equipped to avoid them.

The following is a list of 5 common staged auto accident frauds in the greater Tampa Bay area.

(1) The T-Bone: You drive across an intersection legally. A car from a side street speeds up and hits your car. You call the police to report the accident. While you tell the police you were not at fault in the accident, the other driver and some fake witnesses tell the police that you are at fault because you ran a stop sign or a red light.

(2) The Swoop and Squat: You are in heavy traffic. A driver cuts off the car in front of you, causing the car in front of you to slam on the brakes. You, in turn, rear-end the car in front of you because there's no time to stop. It turns out the car you hit is full of passengers who say they are injured.

(3) The Sideswipe: You make a turn at a busy intersection that has multiple turn lanes. During the turn, you drift a little bit into another lane. Behind you, a driver accelerates and sideswipes you but claims it's your fault because you drifted into his car.

(4) Dishonest Helpers: You get into an accident (staged or real). A friendly stranger approaches you right after the crash or calls you on the phone soon thereafter. The stranger recommends that you get your car repairs at a certain body shop, go to a certain doctor for your injuries, and visit a certain Tampa automobile accidents lawyer to sue for your injuries. The problem is, all of these referrals may be in cahoots to bill your auto insurance company for fraudulent repairs, treatment, and injuries.

(5) The Drive Down: You want to merge into another lane, but there's a lot of traffic. A seemingly friendly driver waves to you to go ahead in front of him. However, instead of letting you go, the driver hits your car. When you call the police, the driver says he never motioned for you to go in front of him.

Whether they occur in Tampa, Florida or Seattle, Washington, criminals stage these auto accidents so they can make fraudulent claims for damages and injuries to insurance companies. By teaming up with bogus repair shops and doctors, criminals are able to reap millions of dollars in fake claims.

In the Tampa Bay community, staged car accidents create problems for you, your insurance company, the medical community, and Tampa automobile accident lawyers. As the victim, the obvious problem for you would be physical injuries, the damage to your car, and the disruption to your life. Insurance companies are affected, too, because of the costs of fraudulent claims, which in turn mean higher insurance rates for the rest of us. Deceptive “doctors” who participate in staged auto accident schemes give a bad name to honest physicians, chiropractors, and other health care providers. Finally, staged auto accidents can also lead the public to believe that the automobile accident lawyer profession and all personal injury claims are based on falsehoods.

By being alert to the possibility of staged car accidents in Tampa, Florida, you can protect yourself. The first way to protect yourself is by always leaving plenty of space around your car when you drive and never tailgating. If you do get into an accident, call the police immediately and your insurance company. Write down as much as you can about the drivers and passengers involved in the accident (names, addresses, phone numbers, license plate numbers, etc.) Only use doctors, repair shops, and a Tampa automobile accident lawyer you can trust; never rely solely on referrals from people at the accident scene.

Whether it's staged or not, if you or someone you care about has been hurt in a car accident, Tampa automobile accidents lawyer Dale Appell, P.A. urges you to call our office to become informed of your rights and receive a free evaluation of your case. From our convenient Rocky Point location, we serve auto accident victims throughout Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Hernando, and beyond including Tampa, Carrollwood, Temple Terrace, Riverview, Apollo Beach, Thonosassa, Clearwater, St Petersburg, Brandon, Oldsmar, Palm Harbor, Largo, and Safety Harbor.