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May 19, 2006     Barnstable Patriot
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May 19, 2006
 
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By Michael Lavender columnist@barnstablepatnot.com It sounds unbelievable , but someone may intention- ally crash into your car. Even though the damage to your car may be small, the dishon- est driver of the other car is looking to cash in on a big insurance payoff. That driver may make claims againstyour carinsurance companyfor fake serious injuries. How it Happens These accidents get staged, and even rehearsed, increative ways. A car suddenly swerves in front of you and slams on the brakes,causingyouto rear- end the car. Or you are trying to merge and the other driver waves you forward. Instead of slowing down to let you in, the dishonest driver speeds up and crashes into you. Denying that he signaledyou,he claims you caused the accident. Or it could happen when a driver motions you to come out of a parking space and then hits you. The next thingyou know, the driver and possibly many passengers pile out of the car pretending to have painful neck or back injuries. What happens to you: First,you could get seriously injured or even killed by an intentionalaccident. Youhave the inconvenienceof gettingan appraisalfor your car'sdamage and then leaving your car in the shop for repairs. You get a costly claim on your insur- ance record that could raise your premiums or even cause you to lose your coverage. You'll waste time with claim settlements, police report s, even lawsuits. And this fraud increases everybody's insur- ance premiums. Such crimes cost millionsof dollars inlosses each vear. Protect Yourself The Coalition Against Insur- ance Fraud warns that older drivers, solo drivers, and own- ers of new cars are t argeted as innocent victims ofthese colli- sions. One drivingtip isto keep a safe distance from the car in front of you. Keep adisposable camera,paper andpens inyour glove compartment. Whenever you are in an ac- cident, and especially if you think the accident may have been staged, protect yourself by getting good details about the accident. • Once you and your car are in a safe place, exchange information with the other driver. • Even though the docu- ments may be fake, get all the information from the drivers' license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance. • Count the number of pas- sengersinthe other car and get their names, telephone num- bers, addresses, and driver's licensenumbers.Make a note if they were wearingseat belts. Did they act injured only after the police arrived? • Get the names, addresses and phone numbers of any persons at the scene who could be witnesses. • Photograph the damageto your car and the passengers with your camera. • Callthe police to the scene ifthe collision appears planned or if the damage to either car is extensive. If you suspect fraud, call The National Insurance Crime Bureau at 1-800-835-6422 , 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Attorney Michael L. Lavender special- izes in Elder Law and is in private practice in Barnstable Village. Dollars and dents: Staged car accidents DAVID STILL II PHOTO - Members of The Rotary Club of Hyannis , in partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Barnstable, Cape Cod Cooperative Bank, Rogers and Gray Insurance and CapeAbilmes (Formerly Nauset Inc.) volunteer to cover a Meals on Wheels delivery route for Elder Services of Cape Cod. Last week, those volunteers were recognized and community awards were presented by Rotary and Elder Services. Here, Bob Macallister of Rogers and Gray accepts the Paul Harris Fellowship Award on behalf of his late wife from incoming Rotary president Wendy Northcross. Susan, who died unexpectedly after a brief illness in December, helped deliver more than 2,500 meals as a volunteer through Rotary. The Paul Harris Fellowship is the highest award for community service that Rotary bestows. REMEMBERING A FAITHFUL SERVANT - Celebrate Older Americans Month The Barnstable Council on Aging hosts several events this month to cel- ebrate older Americans. A Feng Shui presentation will be offered on May 23 at 5:30 p.m., and on May 25 there will be a flag ceremony with a live radio broad- cast from 8 to 11 a.m. The annual open house and Boston Post Cane ceremony is June 8 from 2 to 4 p.m. Congratulations! If you're stopping by Harbor Point in Centerville Tuesday, be sure to say Happy 100th Birthday to resident Doro- thy Crocker.The former owner of an ice cream shop in the Boston area has trav- eled the world and counts only Morocco and Iceland as missed opportunities. Pet peeve? People "that are unhappy just to be unhappy." Abuse investigations bolstered State Rep. Demetrius Atsalis, a spon- sor of the measure, announced last week that the state House of Representatives had passed legislation to extend from three months to three years the time after an unsubstantiated report of elder abuse that it can be investigated. Cape and Islands DA. Michael 0"Keefe was a supporter of the bill, which is being J ' mrumd 'Sr^we Cap e Cod's Premier Retirement Community INDEPENDENT LIVING Companionship & Security Waterfront Dining • Transportation ASSISTED LIVING Three Meals Daily • Caring Professional Staff Family Environment A)\rThe Village at Thirwood Place ' Featuring 28 graciousl y appointed apartments. Come find out why so many people have chosen Thirwood Place as their home. Call 1-800-248-5023or (508) 398-8006 for af reeinformat ion packag e 237 North Main Street • South Yarmouth, MA 02664 WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU LOOKED AT YOUR FAMILY PHOTOS? What about all of those slides you have that never see the light of day. i know setting up the screen and projector just isn't fun anymore. Well, I can save you all of that trouble. I will convert all of your photos, slides or 8mm film to VHS tape or DVD, or both, your choice. For more information call Don Moore in Centerville 508-771-045 7 He will bring your memories back to life. BOARD CERTIFIED OPHTHALM OLOGIST \ • Annual Routine Exams • General Op thalmology • Glaucoma & Cataract Consultation * Prompt s Convenient Early Evening Appointments • Accep ting New Patients AFFILIATED WITH... Caf e CodHospital,Mamdmetts lyead 1stInf irmary, Harvard MidSchool,Muktory Surgeryand laserCenter of CapeCod I The Main Street Medical Building,51Main Street,Hyannis,MA I I WELLESLEY HILLS / HYANNIS / FALMOUTH | Remember? Call us before you get into trouble! 1 .! OLSEN , an ethical establishment to stand behind the service and products they supply. 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