Nagging Phone Calls & Mailings after a Car Accident
One of the saddest things that happen after an accident is the 50 phone calls, 50 mailers and door drops. The calls alone will drive you crazy.
By law lawyers aren’t allowed to solicit by phone. However, some have gotten around this rule by having a recorded message. The vast majority of lawyers find this type of solicitation appalling.
You may wonder where they got your information. Generally, they get it from police reports which are public information. You can view anyone’s police report if you have the time and desire.
The reason this practice is allowable is the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that it is unfair that the at-fault party’s insurance company could contact you, and tell you information that may not be 100% accurate, and not a lawyer.
The intention of the Ohio Supreme Court was good, but the unintended consequences are awful. Most of my clients find the phone calls worse than the mailers. A client actually got 50 cell phone calls 2 days after the police report went online. For those who answer those phone calls, it is much worse.
Originally, when this practice started, the calls came from chiropractor’s offices. Then some of them would say they would even put you in touch with a lawyer to represent you and have you sign a legal contract right in the Chiropractor’s office. Now, it is not just Chiropractors contacting you, it is marketing firms as well. These marketing firms are very aggressive to get your business. Generally they will not precisely identify themselves, for example: a “wellness clinic”. In some cases, they will even represent themselves as the driver at fault’s insurance company.
In addition, some of the callers have indicated they already have made an appointment for you to come in and get checked out making it seem like they are the insurance company. This is a very sneaky approach to getting your business.
Another approach, they will offer is for you to come in for a free evaluation to see if you were injured in your accident. When this happens, they will always find that you were indeed injured in the accident.
The best offense to these rouge tactics is to not answer the phone, or be intimidated by them or engage with any of them at all. All mailers should be thrown in the garbage and all phone calls left unanswered.
We at Contrada & Associates do not condone these practices and do not engage in them.
If you have been involved in a car accident, contacting a personal injury attorney as soon as possible will make the claims process much easier. Attorney Charles V. Contrada will explain your legal options, guide you through the process and assist you in dealing with insurance companies and sneaky companies trying to take advantage of you.
To speak to attorney Charles V. Contrada about a car accident in Ohio or Michigan, call 419.841.4400. Charles has helped thousands of individuals with car accident claims and will explain the legal options that are available to you. Call Contrada & Associates for comprehensive legal guidance that will help you to receive the most favorable outcome.