- November 29, 2023
- Posted by: legaleseblogger
- Category: Related News
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Distress Over Car Accident and Dispute with Tow Truck Company: How AI Legalese Decoder Can Help
Hi everyone, I’m new to this forum but I’m really struggling with a situation and I hope someone can offer me some advice.
I was involved in a car accident where my car was hit by a Septa bus, causing significant damage to the front end. The city of Philadelphia dispatched a tow truck driver to the scene. Despite repeatedly asking the tow truck driver if it was a triple A tow, I am now being held responsible for the towing costs and being told to go through my insurance to cover them. This doesn’t seem right to me, especially since I had a similar incident where I needed a tow and it was free and didn’t require insurance.
To make things worse, the repair shop called me the following morning and told me that my car was totaled and that I owe $700 for the tow/lot fee. However, I’m not convinced that my car is actually totaled, as the damage only seems to be a punctured tire and cosmetic damage. Despite this, the shop is now saying I owe over $1000 and that they will send my car to a scrap yard if I don’t pay.
What’s even more concerning is that the amount they are asking for has now increased to $2500, all within a week of the accident.
To address some questions: I was able to drive my car onto the flatbed when it was being towed. The tow truck driver was dispatched by Philly Septa. In addition, the individuals I’m dealing with were very convincing, claiming to be a legitimate business and showing me their positive Google reviews.
I realize now that the last time I needed roadside assistance, I directly called triple A for help.
In this distressing and potentially unfair situation, an AI Legalese Decoder can be incredibly helpful in understanding the legal jargon and complexities involved. It can assist in unraveling confusing and intimidating legal language, making it easier to comprehend my rights and obligations in this matter. With its assistance, I can acquire a clearer understanding of the complexities related to towing, insurance, and potential legal recourses. This tool may ultimately provide me with the knowledge and confidence needed to address the dispute with the tow truck company and the repair shop in a more informed manner. Any insights or support offered would be greatly appreciated.
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****** just grabbed a
Did you call the 1-800 number on the back of your AAA card?
It seems like you are going to have to go through your insurance for the moment to get your vehicle back.
I can’t speak for AAA, but even if they are a AAA affiliate, it is possible that the process is different if you call AAA for a tow and call for dispatch vs. they are dispatched through any other method.
My car insurance has free towing, but even if I call the same company they would have that is affiliated with them, I have to pay and get reimbursement later if I don’t call for the tow through my insurance company.
So it’s possible that the driver, especially one whose not an owner-operator of the business, said yes because they are affiliated with AAA, but didn’t know the call had to be made a different way. (Or, quite honestly, he may have had no idea even how they were called — he’s just told by dispatch to go to a site.)
Can’t guarantee this is the case, but it is possible.
IANAL, been in towing for almost a decade.
First, if itÔÇÖs worth the money to do so, pay to get your car back and have it towed to your house or a shop of your choice. First thing to do in these situations is always get your car back. ItÔÇÖs a lot easier to argue for lower damages if this goes to small claims. This sub generally agrees that judges want you to mitigate costs.
Second, $700 is a lot. Even a flatbed tow on the interstate at night shouldnÔÇÖt approach that amount. Did they tow the car back to their lot, they determined it was totaled, and now they want storage fees? The body shop wouldnÔÇÖt determine it was totaled that quickly, insurance would.
Third. Have you called AAA and told them about this company pretending to be a AAA contractor or, worse, they *are* a AAA contractor and are trying to scam you anyway? Police in my city will call and ask for AAA service during accidents and tow truck companies should confirm that with AAA while heading to or providing service. Officers are often familiar with AAA contractors and will try to save you money by calling them first, so thatÔÇÖs why IÔÇÖm wondering if they called this company first. Not impossible they didnÔÇÖt do this, but IÔÇÖd like to believe theyÔÇÖd have tried to help you.
Not the most important step in this process, but making AAA aware of them could be helpful to AAA and you as well if theyÔÇÖre legitimate contractors.
This is the Philadelphia scam, those drivers will tell you whatever they want to get them hooked.
Now they have your car in a shit part of town and you wonÔÇÖt get it back without cash in hand.
That guy most likely drove by and spoke in a way that seemed like he was the guy.
Your first order of business is to mitigate further damages. This includes daily lot fees and the loss of the remainder of the car. Call your insurance and have them tell you where they want the car so it can be evaluated by an adjuster. They may want it towed to a mechanic or to a body shop or to an insurance service center. They may or may not setup this tow and pay the current bill or they may require you to do it. If you pay, keep the receipt to get reimbursed later. AAA may do the tow from the lot to the shop as part of your coverage, call them if the tow is on you.
You will probably initially pay your deductible, but Your insurance will then go through the cityÔÇÖs insurance to get reimbursed for the damage and the initial tow. You may be on the hook for the $300 in storage fees for not taking care of this quickly, or the city may pay it eventually. In either case itÔÇÖs on you to mitigate further damages by not building up more lot fees, and not letting your car get auctioned or junked until the insurance companies total it out if thatÔÇÖs what happens.
Please call your insurance company. Going off your story, everything the tow company is telling you is untrue. Insurance adjusters determine the disposition of the vehicle. Any tow and storage cost will be paid for by insurance. Your insurance company will negotiate a settlement with the at fault driver’s insurance. Save your stress for when you have to fight the amount they offer you if it is totaled. You do not have to accept the first offer.
NAL, but work auto insurance claims in the Philadelphia area. I believe since your tow was dispatched by the police, it would fall under the Philadelphia Tow Ordinance, which has specific dollar amounts that tow yards can charge you.
Here is a link to the full ordinance:
https://www.phila.gov/media/20180926142602/Tow-Code-Summary.pdf
Page 11 has the charges the companies have to abide by.
If your car was hit by another vehicle, and the other vehicle was found to be at fault, the insurance of the other vehicle should be liable for all costs, including towing of your car. Your insurance company should be able to sort this out for you.
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AAA has a reimbursement program so try calling them and explain the situation. If that shop is indeed AAA they maybe able to handle it
The tow truck may work with triple A, but as another user posted, the city has special rates with the tow truck company. These rates/contracts usually require the tow truck to be there within a certain time frame, which is probably a lot quicker than any other tow truck you can call. So since the truck was called and responded to the cities request, it didnÔÇÖt go through Triple A.
Did your vehicle already have a salvaged title? Did you have current insurance at the time your vehicle was hit? I donÔÇÖt understand why your insurance company hasnÔÇÖt already handled this, especially since you werenÔÇÖt at fault according to your story
If you call for a tow then it means it’s a tow. If the Police calls for a tow, it’s now considered a recovery so the pricing is different since they give a the P department a kickback (whether legally through some grey area loophole or illegally via a bribe that no one knows about).
In my experience, when I call for a town immediately after a crash, they charge me $100ish but when the P calls for a recovery, it’s all of a suddenly $300ish if I ask them to tow it to my house (sometimes they won’t because of smol PP or greed), otherwise they tow it to their yard and charge a daily storage fee on top of the recovery fee.
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