Car accidents happen now and again in Atlanta, and with them comes devastating situations. According to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, there were 1,491 traffic fatalities in 2019. In severe crashes, it’ll be wise to have an Atlanta car accident attorney file a compensation claim on your behalf.
However, what if you discovered that your auto crash wasn’t an actual accident? As ridiculous as it may seem, some people can intentionally hit you for insurance fraud purposes. If they’re successful, they’ll blame you for the accident and file a fraudulent claim against your liability insurance. Insurance fraud is big business in Atlanta, so you’ve got to know how to avoid those scammers on the road.
However, no matter how careful you are, you may still fall victim to a staged accident. So how do you know that you’re involved in a staged accident? More importantly, how do you deal with the situation? We’ll show you.
What Is a Staged Car Accident?
A staged accident happens when another driver intentionally hits your car to scam your insurance company out of some money. After staging the accident, they’ll accuse you of being liable and try to get a financial settlement from you. In some cases, they may go all the way to file a fraudulent lawsuit.
They may work alone or in collaboration with other fraudulent drivers. They may plant fake witnesses and fake their injuries to make it look like a real accident. A staged accident can look very genuine. The more believable it is, the more likely it will successfully make you look like the negligent driver.
Common Examples of Staged Auto Accidents in Atlanta
There are different ways an insurance fraudster may cause a staged accident. These are the most common ones in Atlanta:
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Swoop and Squat
A swoop and squat involve two or more conspirators who trap their victims into a rear-end accident. They’ll have one car swooping in front of you and another car by your side. That ensures that you don’t swerve to avoid danger.
When they’ve successfully entrapped you, the vehicle in front squats (hits the brakes abruptly) to allow you to rear-end it. These con artists usually target lone drivers to ensure that there are no witnesses on your side.
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Curb Drive Down
In a curb drive down, you’re trying to get into the traffic after parking by a curb for some time. When you see the traffic is clear, you immediately try to get on it. But, at the same time, the fraudster will pull into your lane and hit you, claiming that the traffic wasn’t clear. Sometimes, the con artist waves you into the traffic and then denies doing so. However, it’s usually your word against theirs, and sometimes, they plant fake witnesses too.
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Left Turn Drive Down
Like in a curb drive down, the con artist waves you in when you’re attempting a left turn. Usually, this fraudster driver is heading the other way and decelerates to enable you to move ahead. As you make the left turn, the waving driver will speed up to block your vehicle.
When you hit your brakes, another car hits you by the side while the waving driver speeds off. This way, it will look like you were at fault in the accident.
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T-Bone Crash
In a T-bone staged car accident, the scammer will speed up and hit your car as you drive through an intersection. They’ll also plant witnesses to claim that you ran a red light or disregarded a stop sign.
What Happens After Someone Fraudulently Caused My Car Accident?
When you notice that your car accident was staged, quit confronting the scammers and their accomplices. Instead, exchange contact and insurance information, then wait for law enforcement. As you wait, document everything you can through pictures, videos, and voice recordings. When the police officers arrive, explain what happened and don’t forget to mention your suspicions. Also, call your Atlanta auto crash lawyer for legal advice on further actions to take.
Call Ted A. Greve & Associates Injury Lawyers
It can be shocking when you’re in a staged accident for the first time. However, you must act fast to avoid liability for a car crash you didn’t cause. You may even beat them at their own game and get them to pay you compensation.
Our Atlanta car accident lawyers at Ted A. Greve and Associates can gather enough evidence to build a strong case for you. We’ll review your case for free and ensure that you pay nothing till you get the justice you deserve. So give us a call immediately; we’ll be glad to be of help.
