The daughter grabbed the family’s Ford Fusion for the shopping trip.
But on her daughter’s ride home, she was involved in a front-end collision on the popular DuSable Lake Shore Drive. The accident was a stone’s throw from Soldier Field .
It was the daughter’s first time in a car accident. She was immediately brought to the police station for help after the roadway incident.
After the incident, the mother said her roadside assistance had dispatched a towing operator to the accident.
They were supposed to bring the car back to the family.
The anonymous mom alleged a towing company took advantage of the situation and grabbed the car instead.
“My daughter was in an accident. You took advantage of her,” she said to the station.
“You know, she was very vulnerable at that point because she’s never been in a car accident.”
Tow City Inc. snagged the vehicle and brought it back to a holding lot, according to WBBM-TV.
However, the station said the company isn’t supposed to be in business.
Documents obtained by the local station allegedly found that Tow City Inc. has changed names several times in the past year.
A previous name of the company had its license suspended.
What to do if your car is towed
Wrongfully or not, retrieving 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 a few steps to take to get it back.
Steps to take when your car is towed:
Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted “No Parking” sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail.
Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative.
Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.
If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:
Be prompt – many states have a small window of time where it’s acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle.
Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state.
Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly.
Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases.
Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer.
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