Sunday, February 28, 2010

Flemington man, 23 others charged in Pennsylvania car insurance scam

Twenty-three people from New York and New Jersey -- among them a Hunterdon County man -- have been charged with fraud after claiming to be Keystone State residents in order to save money on car insurance, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.

Also charged in the rate evasion scheme is a Reading, Pa., woman, the news release says. It was not immediately clear why she is charged.

Rate evaders are out-of-state residents who provide false information to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in order to obtain state driver's licenses or vehicle registrations, the release says. They use the state-provided documentation to obtain Pennsylvania insurance policies for their vehicles, the release says.

Attorney General Tom Corbett estimates that rate evaders account for $12 million to $15 million worth of insurance claims each year on Pennsylvania policies. That leads to higher premiums for everyone, he said.
“Because of differences in automobile insurance premiums and coverage requirements, some New York or New Jersey drivers can save anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000 per year by falsely claiming to live in Pennsylvania and insuring their vehicles here,” Corbett said.

“The real financial losers in this scam are the honest drivers of Pennsylvania, whose premiums increase when their insurance companies pay claims for drivers who lied about living in our state.”


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Monday, February 15, 2010

New York Auto Accident Lawyer Offers Tips On What To Do After A Motor Vehicle Crash

“When someone has just been the victim of an automobile accident, their mind is usually racing, as they try to get a grip on what just happened,” says George W. Ilchert, Esq., a partner with Lurie, Ilchert, Mac Donnell and Ryan, LLP
a car accident law firm with experience in New York auto accident cases. “The most pressing decision for a victim, following the accident, is what to do next.”

What an accident victim does next, he says, may shape their future.

“The first and most important thing that a victim must do following a motor vehicle accident is call the police,” says Ilchert. “The accident report that the police will generate will prove crucial if the accident results in some type of litigation.”

Next, Ilchert says that if the victim of an auto accident has been injured in any way, it is imperative that the individual seek immediate medical attention.

“Some auto accident injuries may be immediately apparent, while others may take days to develop,” says Ilchert. “It is best, following an auto accident, to request that an ambulance take them to a hospital for evaluation.”

Ilchert reminds accident victims that even if they have been given a clean bill of health from emergency room staff members, they should follow up with their own physician for further evaluation.

Of course, Ilchert says that the accident should be reported to the victim’s insurance company as soon as possible.

“However, accident victims should never accept a settlement offer from any insurance company before speaking with an accident attorney,” says Ilchert. “A good accident attorney will offer a free consultation to accident victims. So, it is imperative that a victim consult a personal injury attorney following an accident.”


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