As if breaking several ribs and suffering a concussion wasn’t painful enough, car accident victim Cornelius Simpkins was also charged $615 by Clearfield Towing, the private company that towed his car after a collision in Philadelphia. Shocked at the bill, Simpkins and his wife called the city and discovered that Philadelphia law only allows towing companies with contracts to charge a maximum of $150 to tow a car from an accident scene.
Unfortunately, Clearfield Towing does not contract with the city. Simpkins was in the back of an ambulance when a Clearfield tow-truck driver approached him with the bill. He was told that his car would be towed to a secure, covered lot where nobody would be able to steal it. Slightly dazed at the time, Simpkins gave the driver the all-clear – without ever looking at the bill. He says he does not recall signing anything, despite the fact that Clearfield provided a copy of the agreement with his alleged signature at the bottom. Simpkins is now considering legal action against the tow-truck company.
A Philadelphia councilman that sponsored the towing charge law said it was designed to prevent situations like this from happening. Some tow companies that do not contract with the city will often race to the scene of an accident in an effort to get the victims to sign an agreement before another company arrives.
If you have been injured in a Philadelphia car accident because of someone else’s negligence, please contact Wapner, Newman, Wigrizer, Brecher & Miller to schedule an initial consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer.
