A car accident can be one of the worst moments of your life. Depending on the severity of the crash, many have dealt with permanent damage to their bodies along with the typical insurance problems you receive in these types of incidents. Additionally, hit-and-runs have been on the rise in California, so several victims are not able to receive immediate assistance or have even more hurdles to go through with their insurance companies.
Just when you think it could not possibly get any worse, criminals can take advantage of your incapacitated state and raid whatever they can in your vehicle. If it is a bad crash, you unfortunately may be powerless to stop it. While these are not common occurrences, it is important to be aware of the potential for this to happen so you can take immediate action after the crash.
A series of unfortunate events
Recently some unidentified thieves came into the spotlight for stealing the purse of a woman from Riverside that was paralyzed in a car wreck. In August, the woman was rear-ended while driving and became paralyzed from the neck down from the impact. As she sat motionless in the driver’s seat, someone opened her passenger door and snatched her purse, stealing her credit cards and identity in the process.
After finding out her purse was stolen, the woman’s husband tried cancelling her credit cards and checking account. Unfortunately, someone already spent around $6,000 using them. A few days after the crash, two men robbed the couple’s storage containers using the woman’s stolen keys. Months after the incident, the woman died from her injuries and the culprits are still at large.
Taking quick action
The woman and her husband in this scenario did nothing wrong. The woman was not planning to crash, and it is likely that her vehicle had very limited space on where to hide her purse. The husband was also correct in cancelling the credit cards and checking their accounts as soon as he could after learning the news. She was simply a victim for being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
While car crashes and theft do not always coincide, there are many victims that have had their property stolen while incapacitated. It makes an already extremely stressful situation even more worse. Family members of car crash victims should keep a close eye on their accounts following the crash to see if someone robbed their loved one while they were out cold. Personal injury attorneys can also aid victims in getting back as much as they can for all the damages they received from the crash.
