It is never fun to be involved in a car accident. However, you could feel even more victimized if you discover that you are the victim of a staged auto crash. Unfortunately, this type of accident is more common than you may think. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself if you believe the other driver staged your collision.
What Is a Staged Car Crash?
A staged auto wreck is one that is intentionally caused by a driver, where they make the collision appear to be the fault of another motorist to file an insurance claim. Everything about the collision, such as the accident itself, injuries, and witnesses, is fake. The purpose is to scam the victims and their own insurance companies into paying them money for injuries they falsely claim they suffered. A staged car accident is a type of insurance fraud.
Types of Staged Car Accidents
It is important to understand the types of wrecks these scammers cause so you know if you are the victim of one. The most common types of wrecks include:
- T-bone collision. In this type of accident, a motorist would wait until the victim drives into an intersection and then would deliberately smash into the side of their vehicle to cause a side-impact collision. They would have one or more witnesses who would claim that the innocent victim was speeding or ran a red light.
- Swoop and stop. In a swoop and stop scam, a driver in front will suddenly slam on their brakes. The victim is often boxed in by other motorists involved in the scam so that they cannot swerve to avoid a rear-end collision.
- Wave-in. In a wave-in scam, a motorist waves in a victim who is trying to change lanes and then purposely accelerates to strike their auto. They will then deny waiving the driver in and will claim that the victim made an unsafe lane change.
- Start-and-stop. A start-and-stop scam often occurs in heavy traffic. The individual in front would accelerate so that the victim in the rear does too. Then they would slam on their brakes and cause the unsuspecting victim to hit the rear end of their vehicle.
What to Do If You Believe You Are the Victim of a Staged Collision
If you believe that the other driver caused your accident to scam you and the insurance company, you need to take immediate steps to protect your rights. Here are five first steps you should take:
- Call the police at the crash scene and obtain a copy of the police report.
- Take pictures of the damage to the vehicles, road and weather conditions, and anything else you think will help you prove that the other driver caused your accident.
- Obtain the contact information for any witnesses who saw the crash as it occurred and can corroborate that it was staged.
- Retain an experienced car accident lawyer. They can help you prove that the other motorist’s negligence caused the collision and will fight for the compensation you deserve if you suffered injuries or damages to your auto.
Were you the victim of a staged car accident? Call our Norfolk office to schedule a free initial consultation to learn how we can assist you.
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