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Do Tow Trucks Have to Report Accidents?

Published on Feb 5, 2025 at 9:50 pm in Truck Accidents.

Do Tow Trucks Have to Report Accidents?The only parties legally required to report an accident in Illinois are police officers. Illinois statute 625 ILCS 5/11-408 states that an officer must report the crash within 10 days of conducting an investigation into the collision. However, there are specific laws in place regarding how tow trucks can respond to accidents, and what information they are legally required to provide before hooking up the damaged car and towing it away.

Illinois has a long history of questionable activity taken by tow truck drivers. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Chicago is the second most affected major city when it comes to towing abuses. Some of the noted issues plaguing the city and state include towing fees in excess of $3,000, tow trucks using police scanners to race to the scenes of accidents, thousands of dollars in fees to release cars from storage yards, and more. While fraudulent and rogue tow truck companies are still a major issue in the state, there used to be fewer protections available for affected motorists.

Prior to 2008, there were far fewer restrictions in place to prevent bad actors from taking advantage of motorists with damaged or disabled vehicles. Since then, Senate Bill 435 added regulations to restrict when a vehicle can legally be towed. Some of the additional rules and requirements it instated include:

  • The customer must authorize a tow before it occurs. In the case of an abandoned vehicle, law enforcement can authorize the tow instead.
  • Prior to towing, the driver of the tow truck must provide the address of where the vehicle is being towed, all fees associated with the tow and storage of the vehicle, and an itemized description of the owner’s rights.
  • All tow trucks must include the name, address, and phone number of the towing company displayed on the truck.
  • Records of all invoices and disclosures must be kept for 5 years and must be provided upon request.

While enforcement of these laws may be lax, that doesn’t mean they don’t apply. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to fight these predatory actions, so the best thing to do is take steps to protect yourself from being taken advantage of. First and foremost, never grant permission to tow your vehicle to a tow truck driver when neither you nor law enforcement placed a call for one. Some additional things to keep in mind when dealing with a tow truck driver include:

  • Never grant permission for an unsolicited tow.
  • If neither you nor law enforcement made the call for a tow, do not interact with any tower attempting to move your vehicle.
  • Ask for company identification if it is not readily apparent on the vehicle.
  • Double check that the information on the truck is identical to any documentation provided by the tow truck driver.
  • Do not give any tow truck driver permission to move your vehicle until they provide an itemized printed list of all fees that will apply as well as documentation of where your vehicle is being towed.
  • If, at any point you begin to suspect anything, contact your insurance company or law enforcement to call a new towing service for you and confirm all details upon arrival.

If you were involved in a serious car crash, you may be able to file a lawsuit to secure the compensation you need to cover necessary repairs to your vehicle, medical bills, and other damages incurred in the accident. At Prince Law Firm, our experienced Marion car accident lawyers have spent more than 20 years fighting for the rights of injured victims across Illinois. Reach out today to discuss your situation in a free case consultation and learn what your next steps should be.

What Birth Injuries Can Mothers Suffer From?

Published on Dec 31, 2024 at 3:37 pm in Medical Malpractice.

Ensuring a safe and healthy birth is one of the most important responsibilities of obstetricians and gynecologists (OB/GYNs), midwives, doulas, and other medical professionals who handle this area of medicine.

However, their negligence, or more appropriately, their failure to uphold a standard of care, may lead to preventable injuries to moms during the labor and delivery process.  

What birth injuries can mothers suffer from, and how often does it happen? Those are some questions we’ll address below. 

Does Homeowners’ Insurance Cover Dog Bites?

Published on Dec 17, 2024 at 8:18 pm in Dog Bites.

Most dog owners firmly believe their pup would never hurt anyone. According to the information collected by the Insurance Information Institute, out of the 90 million dogs living in the U.S., 4.5 million of them had bitten someone, and most of those victims were children. When those bites happen “within the family,” the family pays the bills. What happens if the dog bites a neighbor, visitor, or someone out on a walk?

A dog bite can be a physically painful and emotionally traumatic injury. When there is an issue with the dog owner’s negligence that contributed to the bite, you might be able to seek compensation from them by filing a claim. Would they have to pay out-of-pocket medical bills, or does homeowners’ insurance cover dog bites? That answer depends on the details of the policy and the liability issue.

What Is Property Damage in a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Published on Dec 10, 2024 at 8:24 pm in Personal Injury.

What is property damage in a personal injury lawsuit?

What started as an uneventful Saturday afternoon in this quiet Godfrey, Illinois, home ended with a car crashing through the backyard fence of one home and slamming into the corner of another home. As reported by KSDK News, the driver was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. In the aftermath of this accident, insurance claims could be filed from a homeowner’s policy, auto insurance, and healthcare. It could be a complicated case and is a prime example of property damage in a personal injury lawsuit.

There are two potential damage categories in any personal injury lawsuit. That would be reimbursing the injured party for the costs related to medical treatment or for any lost or damaged property. To get that reimbursement, you need to work with the right kind of experienced Illinois injury attorney who will identify the at-fault parties and negotiate with the relevant insurance companies to help you receive the maximum settlement. It is essential to understand what can be classified as property damage.

What Counts as Distracted Driving?

Published on Dec 3, 2024 at 8:18 pm in Car Accidents.

Distracted driving is a big problem in our nation as a whole. While that’s certainly a concern, the rates here in your own proverbial “backyard” in Illinois are what worry you the most since you’re sharing the road with those inattentive motorists day in and out.

When you think of distracted driving, the thought of a motorist talking or texting on their phone may initially come to mind. That also makes sense since you are likely aware that the use of a hand-held cell phone while behind the wheel of a car in our state is illegal.

While Illinois law outlines how motorists can only use cellphones when using voice-activated commands, an earpiece, or a Bluetooth headset, is this the only activity that can distract drivers? No, not at all.

Is It Legal To Change Lanes in an Intersection?

Published on Dec 3, 2024 at 8:12 pm in Car Accidents.

Safe driving means following designed traffic laws on the road. However, some rules can be unclear, especially those concerning lane changes in intersections. Many drivers wonder whether changing lanes in the middle of an intersection is advisable, safe, or even legal.

The truth is that the legality will depend on a combination of your state’s traffic laws, the design and signage of the intersection, and other situational conditions.

Slide Board Transfers Can Put Patients At Risk for Injury

Published on Nov 26, 2024 at 9:55 pm in Nursing Home Abuse.

Slide board transfers can put patients at risk for injury

Medical slide boards, also known as transfer boards, are mobility aids designed to help those with limited mobility in transferring between two surfaces. These are flat, rigid boards, typically made of durable materials such as plastic, wood, or a composite. They act as a bridge between surfaces, allowing individuals to slide across rather than being lifted.

Although slide board transfers are intended to reduce the physical strain of moving patients, they can pose significant hazards when used incorrectly.

Is a Car Making a Left Turn Always At Fault in an Accident?

Published on Nov 26, 2024 at 9:49 pm in Car Accidents.

Is a car making a left turn always at fault in an accident?

Turning left at an intersection, while often a necessary maneuver, is among the most common precursors to a crash at these locations. In a study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), researchers found that making a left turn was the critical pre-crash event — the key factor leading up to the crash — in more than 22% of all crashes at an intersection. This was the single most common factor, with only a vehicle traveling off the road as the pre-crash event coming close to the same frequency.

Making a left turn across oncoming traffic should be a simple, routine maneuver for any driver, but there are several reasons why it’s more complicated and dangerous than it appears at face value. Depending on the intersection, the driver making the turn may need to take into account the speed of oncoming traffic from three different directions, as well as potentially limited visibility in one or more of those directions. In addition, driver frustration often plays a factor in making a rash decision behind the wheel and recklessly taking a left turn when it’s not safe.

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