AFTER her daughter was involved in a car crash, a mother appeared in court to dispute the fees charged by a towing company for the wreckage.
The mother was one of several parents who complained about a towing company with a city contract in Taylor, Michigan — located 20 minutes southwest of Detroit.
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“This is the time; it’s stress,” Michele Plummer, a mother whose daughter was involved in an accident, told the Detroit-based NBC affiliate. WDIV.
“We work hard for our money.”
Plummer said her daughter suffered a possible concussion following the accident.
Area Towing, a company with a city contract, towed the car from the scene.
The contract gives the company exclusive rights when police need a vehicle towed from a public road, according to the department.
But drivers said the rates assigned by the company are too high.
Plummer said he was initially quoted $285 to tow the vehicle back to the family’s private home.
But she said the car never showed up at the house.
“I then contacted Area Towing to find out, ‘Where is the car?’” Plummer told the station.
“They then said it was in the impound yard.”
The new fee was $450, she said.
“I’m in the storage room arguing to get her car when I should be home with my son, who could have a concussion,” Plummer said.
“That’s just wrong.”
Shane Anders, owner of the towing company, said the prices compensate dozens of drivers who don’t pay their tickets and don’t have car insurance.
“We are not a towing company,” Anders told the station.
“We are a law enforcement apprehension facility.”
What to do if your car is towed
Unfairly or not, recovering a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are some steps you can take to get it back.
Steps to follow when your car is towed:
- Try to find out why your car was towed. Haven’t you seen a “No Parking” sign? Did you miss your car payment? Have you returned to a lot where there were unpaid citations? Finding the reason may narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities or counties require towing companies to leave some type of contact information via a posted or mailed sign.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but these times will be posted on the website or may be provided by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as quick as possible, as some towing yards may charge per-day storage fees.
If you believe your vehicle was improperly towed, you can dispute the action by following these steps:
- Be quick – many states have a small window of time in which it is acceptable to file a claim against a company that improperly towed your vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements, if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Familiarize yourself with local laws, as laws for towing companies vary by state.
- Try talking to the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact your local Justice of the Peace as they may have more information or resources to help. They are often used for towing cases.
- Speak to a lawyer. Many lawyers offer free consultations and, depending on the case, it may be worth calling on a lawyer.
Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak law firm
Anders admitted the fees were high, but the company was forced to increase them after other drivers failed to pay.
Plummer’s credit card company also refused to pay the fees associated with his daughter’s towing.
The billing dispute is not the centerpiece of a legal battle between the trailer owner and the mother.
“I like to be tested and this is the fairest place you can be tested,” Anders said about going to court.
“I believe in the system. I don’t always agree with the system. But 99% of the time, we agree with ourselves.”
Area Towing did not immediately respond to the US Sun’s request for comment.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
