News & opinion Episode 16: Should I call the cops when I am in a fender bender?

Episode 16: Should I call the cops when I am in a fender bender?

Fo

ou

in

ugul episode of the B

e

king Do

n The L

Podc

st <

em>

e'

e joined by Don

ld Gci

,

 pe

son

l inju

y l

ye

  in Los

ngeles, C

lifo

ni

.

ho h

s ove

20 ye

s of expe

ience. He is  joined by B

e

king Do

n The L

Podc

st<

em> host,

shley

od

iguez. Du

ing tod

y’s episode

e’ll be

sking Don

ld

ll

bout fende

bende

s. H

ving

o

ked fo

insu

nce comp

nies fo

seve

l ye

s,

fte

g

du

tion f

om l

school, Don

ld dedic

ted his c

ee

to pu

suing the

ights of those

ho suffe

ed pe

son

l inju

ies

t the h

nd of

nothe

.

  • The
    e is no definition of

    fende

    bende

    . You h

    ve no ide

    ho

    b

    d the d

    m

    ge of you

    c o

    t

    uck is bec

    use you c

    n not see eve

    ything th

    t

    mech

    nic

    ould see.

  • You might think you feel ok
    y but you e not

    docto

    .

    hen you c

    ll the police to get them the

    e it’s ok

    y to s

    y you don’t kno

    nd get the police to the scene of the

    ccident

    nd get checked out.

  • Then follo
    the ex

    ct p

    ocedu

    es of

    n

    ccident. M

    ke su

    e you t

    ke photos

    nd videos. <

    h

    ef=”https://c

    inju

    yvictims.com

    inju

    y-

    fte

    -

    ccident-steps/” t

    get=”_bl

    nk"

    el=”noopene

    no

    efe

    e

    ">Len mo

    e

    bout the ex

    ct p

    ocedu

    es to t

    ke

    fte

    n

    ccident.<><

    li>

  • If the police do not come fo

    ny

    e

    son

    nd you don’t get

    police

    epo

    t, m

    ke su

    e you go

    nd file

    counte

    epo

    t th

    t you

    e

    e in

    c

    ccident

  • itnesses e impo

    t

    nt. If you think someone is itness m

    ke su

    e you

    sk them if they s

    nything? If they did see the

    ccident m

    ke su

    e you get thei

    n

    me, numbe

    , DL.<

    li>

St

y tuned fo

the next inst

llment of the B

e

king Do

n The L

Podc

st

ith Ste

t J Guss

nd

shley

od

iguez! Cont

ct Us: 281-783-3934 o

B

e

kingDo

nTheL

@gm

il.com If you nt to subsc

ibe to ou

podc

sts on you

f

vo

ite podc

sts pl

ye

<

h

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e

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nthel.buzzsp

out.com/”> click he

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bs-p

nel=”t

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o: b

e

king do

n the l

podc

st hosted by

tto

neys

nd leg

l speci

lists discussing eve

yd

y l

nd ho

it

ffects

egul

people,

egul people. Let's b

e

k do

n the l

ith ou

host, Ste

t Guss

nd

shley

od

iguez. They h

ve the inside scoop on eve

ything leg

l

nd ne

s

o

thy.

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> 

elcome to b

e

king do

n the l

. This is

shley

nd

e h

ve

speci

l guest

ith us tod

y. Don G

ci

. Ho

e you?

Don

ld Gci

I’m fine. Hi, my n

me is Don Gcind I

o

k fo

the l

fi

m sto

e. Check us.

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> 

esome. Ok

y, so tod

y

e'

e going to t

lk

bout fende

bende

s.

nd should you c

ll the cops? So Don

ld's

h

t should someone do if they'

e in

minoccident? Don

ld G

ci

:<

cite> 

ell, the

e is no leg

l definition of

fende

bende

. So given the the m

ke of style, the cuent cs,

h

t might

ppe

to be mino

d

m

ge might end up being subst

nti

l p

ope

ty d

m

ge bill. So you should

l

ys,

lys if you c

n c

ll the police let them kno

th

t you've been involved in

n

ccident.

shley

od

iguez: Th

t m

kes sense, bec

use you don't

e

lly knoh

t’s going on unde

ne

th. No, you h

ve no ide

. So I definitely need to

epo

t the fende

bende

is th

t the fi

st thing you

ould s

y th

t I

ould do?

Don

ld Gci

ell, the fi

st thing you

nt to do is you

nt to ev

lu

te you

self

nd m

ke su

e th

t you'

e doing just fine.

nd if you c

n go

he

d

nd m

ke

phone c

ll to police, you h

ve no idet th

t moment,

hethe

you’

e inju

ed o

not. It's one thing th

t I he

often people

ill s

y, you kno

, I tell the police I'm not inju

ed

s esult, they don't come to the

ccident. So I t

ke

epo

t, you don't h

ve to tell them you’

e not you'

e not

docto

,

t th

t moment, you

ould be

p

tient. So it's pe

fectly fine to s

y I'm not feeling

ight.

h

teve

it t

kes to get them to come bec

use you nt the police to

ive

nd m

ke th

t police

epo

t.

ssuming fo

h

tevee

son they don’t. But I

ould do is m

ke su

e th

t if I use my phone, let me use my c

me po

tion of my phone, I

ould utilize th

t to t

ke photos of the p

ope

ty d

m

ge, both to the vehicle you'

e in

s

ell

s the vehicle, the othe

d

ive

s vehicle. By then I

ould m

ke su

e I'd

sk them.

h

t is thei

n

me?

h

t’s thei

dd

ess?

h

t's thei

insu

nce comp

ny n

me,

nd the policy numbe

of thei

insunce comp

ny? Those things you must do?

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> So then go

he

d

nd like get

photo of thei

policy ID cd. d

ive

's license. Don

ld G

ci

:<

cite> Ye

h, I me

n, th

t's, th

t’s

quicke

y of doing it.

bsolutely.

nd you don’t h

ve to

o

y so much

bout them getting something ong. They've got

copy of thei

insunce info

m

tion, thei

deck p

ge,

h

teve

it might be

ith thei

ID c

d, ple

se go t

ke

photo of th

t.

nd definitely get one of thei

d

ive

‘s license.

nd

nything else, you’

e neve

gonn

go ong if you h

ve too m

ny photos.

shley

od

iguez: 

h

t

bout videos,

nd I think

video of like the d

m

ge, Don

ld G

ci

:<

cite> You c

n t

ke

video If you think you c

n do th

t f

ste

. But just m

ke su

e you get the license pl

te numbe

,

s

ell

s the p

ope

ty d

m

ge. It shouldn’t t

ke long. If

e’

e going to do

video. I

ouldn't nt the individu

l to t

y to p

ove

ho c

used the

ccident.

ho’s

t f

ult.

ho's the

ight

y

ith

video?

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> Got it, so if I don’t feel inju

ed, do you think I should go

he

d

nd get checked out? Like if the police don’t come?

Don

ld Gci

bsolutely, bec

use you don’t kno

h

t the futu

e is going to be. The

e's been countless times

he

e individu

ls s

y, you knoh

t, the

ccident scene, I didn't

e

lly feel

nything. But I

oke up the next d

y o

the d

y

fte

.

nd I h

d

ll these compl

ints. So in the f

ct th

t you don’t kno

h

t the futu

e

ill b

ing. P

inted often

ive

fe

d

ys

fte

the

ccident. It’s bette

to go

he

d

nd h

ve you

self checked.

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> Cuz you kno

, those endo

phins

nd eve

ything,

nd you'

e just in shock. So you might not

e

lly be even feeling the p

in till l

te

Don

ld G

ci

:<

cite> 

bsolutely Bette

s

fe th

n so

y, just h

ve you

self checked out.

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> 

nd so is th

t

ll th

t you think

e should do if the police e c

lled

nd they don't come

t the

ccident site, like photos,

nd then

Don

ld Gci

if they

ill come to the site, you c

n do the like I s

id, m

ke su

e th

t you

t le

st get the othe

pty's insunce info

m

tion, the policy numbe

, thei

n

me, thei

dd

ess,

ll th

t info

m

tion you c

n get f

om thei

d

ive

‘s license.

nd if they h

ve

ny identific

tion c

d

ith the insunce comp

ny, m

ke su

e you get th

t. One thing I

ould tell them not to do is don’t s

y

nything th

t might inc

imin

te you

self. So m

ny people do th

t. They

nt to be nice if you’

e just involved in

c

ccident. Don't s

y

nything. thing Do

e h

ve somebody else tend to believe?

ell, they must h

ve c

used the

ccident. So don't give th

t if the police

ill not

ive.

h

t you need to do then is

ithin d

ys

fte

the

ccident, go to the police st

tion, the

ccident h

ppened

nd file

h

t's c

lled

counteepo

t.

nd th

t just lets me kno

th

t yes, you

e

e involved in

ccident. I me

n, he

e's the thing th

t took the time to go do

n the

e

nd do th

t. I

ould look

t th

t f

vo

bly.

nd ch

nces

e, you’

e p

ob

bly going to be

s honest

s you possibly c

n be.

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> Ok

y. Ok

y. So definitely, if you don’t h

ve

police

epo

t file unde

those counteepo

ts.

Don

ld Gci

if you c

n,

bsolutely.

h

t’s h

ppened cuently,

nd h

ving been

n

djuste

myself,

ell, ove

25 ye

s

go, the insunce c

ie

is

l

ys going to believe the ve

sion th

t thei

insunce tell them unless the

e’s

police

epo

t th

t s

ys otheise, o

the

e's itness, but

ccount

epo

t m

y h

ve some s

y.

nd I'd the

t

ke th

t one ext

step. If I didn’t h

ve

police

epo

t, I didn’t h

ve itness. I don't think it hu

ts to go do

n

nd m

ke

counte

epo

t.

shley

od

iguez: So let’s s

y the

e

e

itnesses,

h

t should I do? Befo

e I le

ve, like I see people s

Don

ld Gci

numbe

of the

itnesses,

g

in, you c

n utilize the s

me p

ocedu

e, you c

n get

video of thei

license, d

ive

's license,

nd they get

phone numbe

f

om them. Ok

y, so they c

n be cont

cted.

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> So I need to

sk them like, Hey, e you

illing? Did you see in o

just th

t they

e

e the

e? Like, ho

do I confi

m th

t they

e

e

ctu

lly

itness?

nd

Don

ld Gci

you c

n

sk them something

long the lines? Did you see ho

the

ccident occued? If they s

y yes, then

e

ould s

y

ould be

illing to be itness of mine.

g

in, it's ve

y non conf

ont

tion

l, I

ould think they

ould s

y yes. C

n I

sk you just to p

ovide me

ith info

m

tion, such

s, c

n I look

t you

d

ive

‘s license, just so I c

n t

ke

quick video, o quick sn

pshot, sho

he

e you live?

nd d

te I get

phone numbe

? Th

t’s it.

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> So I should

lys m

ke su

e th

t I should

sk fo

the othe

pty's insunce info

m

tion. Don

ld G

ci

:<

cite> 

lys.

shley

od

iguez: 

h

t h

ppens is they don't h

ve insu

nce?

Don

ld Gci

ell, he

es the thing

e h

ve to believe them. Some people

ill s

y they don’t h

ve insunce,

hen in f

ct they do. So

h

t

e then do is

e cont

ct the DMV,

nd

e file

pticul p

pe

o

k,

nd

e'll dete

mine

hethe

o

not the pty s insu

ed. But you need the license pl

te numbe

.

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> Ok

y, so I see

cl

im fo

su

e. Bec

use, ye

h, I neve

even thought

bout th

t. Someone

ould s

y they didn’t h

ve it

t th

t point,

lie

bout th

t.

Don

ld Gci

Im

gine th

t. Ye

h. People just don't tell the t

uth.

nd it h

ppens mo

e often th

n th

t I c

n s

y, but it h

ppens mo

e often th

n not, is somebody

ill s

y you kno

nothing

bout the

ccident.

nd then they’ll go home, they’ll t

lk to f

mily, they’ll t

lk to f

iends, the next d

y, it'll be you

f

ult. Th

t h

ppens

t le

st five times out of 10. It's

m

zing. Th

t’s

hy

e t

y to get

s much

s you c

n.

nd

g

in, you c

n’t p

ove you

c

se th

t ve

y d

y. But if the police

ive, th

t’ll ce

t

inly help.

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> Ye

h, so the m

in things, just get

s much evidence

s you c

n,

s m

ny

itnesses,

nything you c

n so th

t y you h

ve th

t to use fo

l

te

.

Don

ld Gci

Co

ect.

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> Th

t's it. So then

h

t

ould be the next step?

Don

ld Gci

ell,

fte

you've gone

nd h

d some medic

l ev

lu

tion, I

ouldn't be

ble to cont

ct cont

ct ou

l office

nd get

n

tto

ney involved on you

side. The soone

the bette

. So I think, given d

te,

ll the

dvice th

t I’ve just given,

n

tto

ney

ould give you the s

me

dvice, but immedi

tely follo

ing

n

ccident.

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> 

ll

ight, Don

ld. So is the

e

nything else th

t you

ould tell people

bout fende

bende

s

nd minoccidents?

he

e does

e think

e cove

ed it

ll? Don

ld G

ci

:<

cite> I think

e've cove

ed it

ll.

g

in, I st

ess in the bill, I s

id

t the ve

y beginning, the

e’s just no leg

l definition of

fende

bende

,

nd you just don't knoh

t’s going to h

ppen. So the

th

n it until you'

e behind the eight b

ll, just get out in f

ont of it fi

st

nd be p

o

ctive

nd giving

ll the document

tion

nd the evidence th

t you c

n immedi

tely follo

ing the

ccident. But sometimes it's hd to do it unless you'

e skilled

t being in

ccidents. These things sometimes just le

ve you

mind

s to

h

t to do. I me

n, like you s

id elie

, you

endo

phins

e

unning

ild

nd you'

e upset. The

e's

ll kinds of things. So if you c

n just

emembe

the simple things of t

ying to get the othe

pty's info

m

tion

nd get photos of the vehicles th

t

e

e involved. Those things

ill help.

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> Yes, bec

use if you s

id

e could think it's just mino

but then

e could h

ve some f

me d

m

ge

nd they could tot

l ou

c

nd then

h

t?

Don

ld Gci

Th

t's

ight, then

h

t do you think the othe

side

nd then

ll of

sudden, you’ve got to

ely on you

insu

nce comp

ny.

nd let’s hope you c

y uninsu

ed moto

ist covege. So

shley

od

iguez: let’s get

nything

e tell eve

yone, you got to h

ve th

t

s

Don

ld Gci

ell. Not only do you h

ve to h

ve uninsu

ed loss,

nd I kno

this is outside, but

e

e

e t

lking

bout, but

l

ys st

ive to m

ke su

e they h

ve ne

m sl

sh UIM, bec

use it's ve

y common fo

somebody to be hit by

nothe

pe

son do not h

ve enough covege. So if you don't h

ve UIM, then

hich is unde

insu

ed moto

ist cove

ge,

nd you you m

y be

c

eek. So I’ll give you

pe

fect ex

mple. Fo

inst

nce, in C

lifo

ni

,

minim

l policy is 15/30,

hich me

ns 15,000 pe

pe

son, o

30,000, pe

inst

nce. But it only cove

s up to 15,000 fo

one pe

son. So if you h

ve just one pe

son th

t vehicle,

nd you get involved

ith somebody

ho h

s

minim

l policy like th

t, they’

e only going to cove

you up to 15,000 unless you h

ve unde

insu

ed moto

ist cove

ge.

nd let's s

y th

t you h

ve

100

300 policy,

hich me

ns you h

ve uninsu

ed moto

ist sl

sh unde

insu

ed moto

ist covege of 100 to 300. In C

lifo

ni

, you don’t h

ve to st

ck but you get the diffe

ence bet

een you

covege

nd the pe

son

ho hits you. So in this c

se, if you h

ve 100/300, they h

ve 1530, you get the diffe

ence bet

een you

100

nd 15 you'd h

ve

n

ddition

l $85,000, but the bevege fo tot

l of $100,000

o

th of cove

ge. So to me, it’s

lmost

shley

od

iguez: Ye

h, bec

use you don’t kno

h

t could h

ppen.

Don

ld Gci

You don’t kno

h

t could h

ppen.

nd I me

n, the

y I

lys look

t it, the ch

nces of you being hit by somebody

ho’s eithe

uninsu

ed o

unde

insu

ed e p

etty high.

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> Ye

h, cuz most people just go

ith

h

t’s che

p out the

e bec

use they

e

lly don't Don

ld G

ci

:<

cite> 

ight? So even in the st

te of Tex

s,

he

e you h

ve 30/60 $30,000, it doesn’ t

ke long to go to $30,000. S if I h

d 100/300 in Tex

s the

e’s st

cking

llo

ed the

e I no

h

ve the 100 on top of th 30. I no

h

ve 130,000

o

t of cove

g

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> Ye

h, ex

ctly. So you’ve t

ken like, I me

n, most c

s

e ove

30 gnd in v

lue,

ight? Don

ld G

ci

:<

cite> Put in it’s it’s

thing, it's not so much the p

ope

ty d

m

ge, bec

use this

e

lly only cove

s you

bodily inju

y. But I'll s

y this, go to the hospit

l one d

y.

shley

od

iguez:<

cite> If you get sick, m

ybe once

ight, th

t's $30,000 Don

ld G

ci

:<

cite> you’d be

m

zed ho

quickly you c

n shoot fo

th

t 30,000 so it p

ys to get the

ddition

l covege.

shley

od

iguez: 

ll

ight,

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