Anyone who has been in an auto accident knows that they can be traumatic and scary. Yet, there are some drivers who actually want to get into car accidents. Why is this? Recently, the idea of ‘staged car accidents’ has become popular throughout the nation, including Salt Lake City. Staged accidents are a well-planned way for an individual to make large claims against auto insurance companies while costing you insurance and lawyer fees. Some common staged accidents to look for in Salt Lake City include:
Swoop and Squat
The swoop and squat is an elaborate plan involving multiple cars. One car pulls directly in front of you while another car cuts in front of the first car, forcing it to suddenly brake. This causes you to rear-end the car first car that is in front of you.
Panic Stop
This is very similar to the swoop and squat, but only requires one criminal car. In this scenario, a passenger in the car is watching for you to take your eyes off the road for a brief second. In this short period the car brakes quickly, which causes an auto accident.
Start and Stop
This scheme occurs in heavy traffic. During your daily downtown Salt Lake City gridlock, the driver in front of you speeds up suddenly, then slams on his brakes too quickly for you to respond.
Wave In
The wave in happens when you want to switch lanes in heavy traffic. The criminal driver waves you in, but just as you transition into his lane, he accelerates. When the police arrive at the site of the auto accident, the driver will claim that he never waved to let you in.
Sideswipe
This strategy is a little more difficult to execute. It occurs at an intersection with two left turn lanes, a common occurrence in Salt Lake City. The criminal driver will sideswipe you, but claim that it is your fault. He may also wait until you drift slightly in his lane to execute the auto accident maneuver.
After these accidents have occurred, there may be an individual who magically appears at the scene who suggests a lawyer or doctor to you. If this is the case, he may be part of the scheme as well, by suggesting a lawyer who will purposely lose your case. Instead of falling prey to these fraudulent schemes, contact a lawyer at Robert J. DeBry & Associates that can best help you.