Cleanup Fees for San Francisco Car Accidents
The San Francisco Examiner reports that the San Francisco Fire Department has announced that it will soon begin charging cleanup fees for car accidents. The fees, of up to $500 would be charged to the driver at fault, according to the Fire Department spokesperson.
Car Accident Cleanup Fees Opposed
The idea of car accident cleanup fees has been around for some time, as has the idea to charge a fee simply for responding to an accident. Polling shows that a majority of Californians oppose such fees, and even more oppose them when they are told that the fees would be paid by drivers’ insurance companies.
California’s Budget Issues
Given the budget problems we’re facing in California, it’s not surprising to see government looking for every chance it can get to increase the types and amounts of fees. This one has some appeal: if a person caused an accident, why should taxpayers have to foot some of the costs? This is consistent with some of the “sin taxes” on alcohol and tobacco, designed to make the purchasers help defray the societal costs of the health care costs associated with the products. But I think that this one is a bad idea.
Who’s At Fault in the Accident?
For one thing, deciding who’s at fault in a San Francisco car accident is often not so simple. We have taken on numerous cases where a police report stated that our client was completely at fault. (We have two such cases open as I write this.) Often the reporting officers do not interview all witnesses, or have all the facts. In many cases, the police do not even generate a report for a San Francisco car accident. Over the years, the San Francisco police have become more and more selective about the accidents where they are willing to come out and prepare a report.
Another issue to consider is where to draw the line between societal costs that we all share, and those for which we make people pay. Even if someone is careless in causing a fire at home, for example, the firefighters’ services are “free.” I think that we could set a bad precedent by starting down the road to charging people every time they avail themselves of emergency response service.
Contact a San Francisco Car Accident Attorney
Do you have questions about a San Francisco car accident? Talk to the experienced attorneys at Callaway & Wolf for free. Call now or click to contact us online.
Boone Callaway is a personal injury & medical malpractice lawyer in San Francisco who has been working with clients in the Bay Area for over 25 years. Mr. Callaway is one of only a few personal injury litigators in San Francisco who is a Super Lawyer, AV Rated and is also a member of ABOTA – American Board of Trial Advocates.
