Posted in Car Accidents on October 1, 2021
You never expect that you will be involved in a car accident. However, when a crash does occur, it often happens quickly and unexpectedly. In most cases, vehicle accidents are caused by the actions of one or more drivers on the roadway. However, there are times when accidents are “staged” by individuals on the roadway looking to secure compensation fraudulently through an insurance claim. Here, we want to define “staged car accidents” and discuss how these incidents are most likely to occur.
What is Cash for Crash?
A staged car accident is often called a “cash for crash” scam. As the name implies, a staged vehicle accident is one that is set up on purpose by one or more individuals looking to make money from insurance carriers.
Perpetrators of staged accidents have one goal in mind – to secure as much money as possible through an insurance settlement for fake or exaggerated injuries or property damage. Perpetrators of staged vehicle accidents can go about committing these crimes in a variety of ways, including:
- A fake vehicle collision
- Fake injuries after a crash
- Fake eyewitnesses
- Fake victims
- Fake accident reports
Staged vehicle accidents may only involve one perpetrator looking to scam insurance carriers. However, it is not uncommon for more than one perpetrator of these incidents to be involved, in which case these individuals likely carefully planned out the perfect staged car accident to fool every person involved.
Examples of Staged Car Accidents
There are various ways that staged accidents can be set up in California. Some of the most common examples of how a staged accident occurs include the following:
- Drivers intentionally slamming on their brakes in front of other vehicles in an attempt to get rear-ended.
- Multiple vehicles boxing in a driver to force a collision with one or more vehicles involved.
- A pedestrian or bicyclist purposely running in front of or into a vehicle and then claiming that the vehicle struck them.
There are many other scenarios in which perpetrators can use to stage a vehicle accident in California. If you have been involved in a vehicle accident and suspect that the incident was staged, you need to call 911 to make sure the police come to the scene. Do not let the perpetrator of a staged accident convince you only to give them the insurance information and not call the police.
Tell the police that you think something is wrong with the situation, and then get out your cell phone and take as many photographs as possible. This includes photographs of any damages or injuries that you see as well as the overall vehicle accident scene. You should also get the names and contact information of any eyewitnesses and the driver’s license number and insurance information of others involved.
Work With a Car Accident Lawyer in California
If you suspect that you have been the victim of a staged car accident in California, you should contact a Long Beach auto accident attorney as soon as possible. An attorney will be able to get involved and conduct an independent investigation into the incident and gather the evidence needed to prove liability.