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Message started by Byrd0264 on 08/31/11 at 08:49:57

Title: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by Byrd0264 on 08/31/11 at 08:49:57

Hey all,

So my fiance got in an accident back in June in Oak Harbor, WA.

A deer jumped out in front of him, he hit it, dumped the bike, etc.

We are now receiving notices from an agency called "EF Recovery" billing us $600-$800 dollars for cleanup of the spilled gas/oil (I'm sure just gas, don't think he lost any oil in the crash).

Our insurance agent said that it's not covered by our insurance because we had liability only on the bike, but also noted they've never heard such a thing.

Anybody have any experience with this company or have any advice? $600 dollars seems a bit extreme and we really can't afford to pay this. Right now we're playing the sit and wait game to see how aggressively they pursue this.

Thanks

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by bill67 on 08/31/11 at 09:04:46

I wouldn't do anything the gas would have evaporated pretty quick I would think.

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by Serowbot on 08/31/11 at 09:06:24

Tell them to bill the deer... ;D...

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by Byrd0264 on 08/31/11 at 09:31:25

Serow - you laugh but I thought the same thing! The notice says "to the party at fault" and all I could think was "well he didn't try to hit the darned thing, it jumped in front of him!"

Oi, I really hope this goes away.

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/31/11 at 10:10:36

Send a letter back, deny you owe anything, technically, a bill sent & not disputed becomes valid after a month,, Theres a way around it,, but Im not typin it,. respond to the bill,, deny you owe anything, send it return receipt requested,

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by verslagen1 on 08/31/11 at 10:23:34

1st, I wouldn't sit on it, mainly cause it takes a long time to figure out anything and you don't want the explaination "I don't recall"
2nd, contact the cops to see if it's something they've ordered due to some new or local ordinance.
3rd, ask for a detailed invoice, when where who why, who ordered it cleaned up, who verified it was cleaned up.
4th, go out to the spot and take photo's, is there a spot in the road, deer carkass still laying there, excetera.

Who knows, might be a scam.
And you gotta love insurance, "no you're not covered... what is it?"

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by verslagen1 on 08/31/11 at 10:27:02

4A515A4C181A1E1C280 wrote:

Act of god comes to mind, send the bill to the local church. For sure there was at least 1 old bidde praying that someone would shut that m/c up.

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by weracerc on 08/31/11 at 11:10:20

I have heard of the power company charging for damage to power poles - the wife's ex husband totaled his truck DWI borad-sided the lite pole at the end of the street where he was going to turn - i couldn't really see any damage and they did not replace the pole but they charged him $600 for damage to the pole - insurance did pay that.

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by Byrd0264 on 08/31/11 at 11:34:28

Vers - Yeah I prob should act... but I got nothing backing our side of things

Accident happened 2.5 months ago out in Washington... I'm in Illinois.

*shrug*

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by babyhog on 08/31/11 at 12:54:18

You might also try some internet searches on the company and anything else related to it that you can think of. Phone number on the bill, their address. Does it look like they have accurate details? As far as date of accident, whereabouts, etc. Strange that your insurance company never heard of it, too. So be cautious, but string them along long enough to find out if its legit.

Wonder if a cop from the scene might know anything?? Or the city office where the accident happened? Just throwing out thoughts....

Oh, and on a side-note, like werace's comment of power pole damage, a friend recently told me about another friend who's dog had gotten hit by a vehicle. The vehicle owner made the friend pay for damage to the car! Homeowner's insurance covered it. But its the owner's fault for the dog being out of the yard. Seems strange, your animal gets hit and you have to pay for the damage, huh.

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by Sunchasers on 08/31/11 at 13:06:42

This might be legit... :-/ Found this when I googled "EF Recovery".

https://www.efrecovery.com/aboutus.aspx

I would still do some investigation to verify though! ;)

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by SoE on 08/31/11 at 13:14:32

This might be your out, right off their website:

"In the news:
Even Fox News agrees that fire departments should bill for spill clean up at accident sites. Click here to see the Fox News report: Firefighter explains why “at fault” motorists are responsible for motor vehicle accident clean up costs – not taxpayers. "

Was he cited in the accident? If not, I don't think they have anything to stand on. "At Fault Motorists" is key here.

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by Routy on 09/01/11 at 05:46:14

If nothing else, I'd get a new insurance company. PL/PD....public liability and property damage pays for this,.....thats why you paid premiums for it, to pay for any damage you do to anything other than yourself !

2nd, I myself would never pay for such a stupid thing as cleaning up what they won't let you clean up yourself.

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by mojo on 09/01/11 at 08:03:38

My first reaction is "It's a SCAM". I recommend contacting the Sheriff's Dept or whoever wrote up the accident report. Get a copy of it. Ask the Sheriff if it is legit? If it is, put the burden back on the insurance company. They are liable for any damage you cause...period! (I'm not a lawyer or insurance agent, just common sense to me). As before stated, don't just ignore it. Get the real story and follow up. My $0.02

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by arteacher on 09/01/11 at 09:29:34

It is a scam, sort of. The company will charge the police or fire dept x dollars to clean up any mess, then charge the responsible party 5 or six times their cost. They go after the money very aggressively, or sell the amount they are trying to get from you to a collection agency for 50 cents on the dollar, still making money. They have very few employees, as they sub- contract the actual cleanup to some guy with a truck and pay him 1/2 or less of what they bill the fire dept or police.. That way they don't have to pay any employee insurance and if the guy with the truck dumps the mess without following any environmental guidelines, and they do, they don't have to worry about that either.
These companies rely on scare tactics to get their money, as most people pay without questioning anything.
If you are not convicted of anything they don't have a leg to stand on.

Don't pay for something you feel you shouldn't have to just because someone sends you a bill.

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by engineer on 09/01/11 at 17:46:44

Like someone said earlier in this thread, don't sit on it or they will turn it over to a collection agency and that is a hassle. Contest the bill. A contested bill cannot, or at least I am told, be turned over to a collection agency until some resolution is made. That will give you some time to decide what to do.

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by bill67 on 09/06/11 at 10:20:53

2427262B29334A0 wrote:

You might also try some internet searches on the company and anything else related to it that you can think of. Phone number on the bill, their address. Does it look like they have accurate details? As far as date of accident, whereabouts, etc. Strange that your insurance company never heard of it, too. So be cautious, but string them along long enough to find out if its legit.

Wonder if a cop from the scene might know anything?? Or the city office where the accident happened? Just throwing out thoughts....
Oh, and on a side-note, like werace's comment of power pole damage, a friend recently told me about another friend who's dog had gotten hit by a vehicle. The vehicle owner made the friend pay for damage to the car! Homeowner's insurance covered it. But its the owner's fault for the dog being out of the yard. Seems strange, your animal gets hit and you have to pay for the damage, huh.

If you ran out in front of a car and got hit,And damaged the car shouldn't you have to pay for it it was your fault.

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by babyhog on 09/06/11 at 13:25:53

010A0F0F5554630 wrote:

[quote author=2427262B29334A0 link=1314805797/0#9 date=1314820458]You might also try some internet searches on the company and anything else related to it that you can think of. Phone number on the bill, their address. Does it look like they have accurate details? As far as date of accident, whereabouts, etc. Strange that your insurance company never heard of it, too. So be cautious, but string them along long enough to find out if its legit.

Wonder if a cop from the scene might know anything?? Or the city office where the accident happened? Just throwing out thoughts....
Oh, and on a side-note, like werace's comment of power pole damage, a friend recently told me about another friend who's dog had gotten hit by a vehicle. The vehicle owner made the friend pay for damage to the car! Homeowner's insurance covered it. But its the owner's fault for the dog being out of the yard. Seems strange, your animal gets hit and you have to pay for the damage, huh.

If you ran out in front of a car and got hit,And damaged the car shouldn't you have to pay for it it was your fault.
[/quote]

Maybe. I just said it seemed strange. Wonder which (if any) insurance would cover that?

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by Routy on 09/06/11 at 14:13:29

Bill quote:
If you ran out in front of a car and got hit,And damaged the car shouldn't you have to pay for it it was your fault.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, of course,
But who in this case ran out in front of a car, or did anything else destructive that they had any control of whatsoever ?

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by kimchris1 on 09/06/11 at 18:44:41

I live in Wa State and have never heard of this.
When I had my mc accident. Gas spilled out
of Genie as she was on her side and, had
just filled the gas tank.
Fire Dept came, no fire yet they do respond.
The gas evaporated and did leave a little stain behind.
Nothing was ever said, then again I was hit by another
driver not a deer. kim

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by Arizuno on 09/06/11 at 19:18:06

Vehicle insurance policies are pretty much standard state-to-state. Looking at mine, I don't see an EXCLUSION relative to clean-up of spilled fuel or oil after an accident. You can check this yourself:read the first part of the policy, dealing only with Property Damage Liability, and look over what it says about EXCLUSIONS. Don't bother reading anything else for this purpose because nothing else is relevant. That's how you determine what's covered; if something isn't excluded, within the intent of the coverage (in this case, Property Damage Liability), then it's COVERED. I can't guess where the insurance agent is coming from.

The agent is right about damage to the motorcycle; if fiancé didn't have Comprehensive coverage, repairs from animal collision are his to pay.

As others here have pointed out, paying for a service fiancé didn't request makes no sense, billed or otherwise. I'd suggest giving them the name of fiancé's insurance company, and his policy number; let them try to deny the claim. I'd also suggest leaning harder on Mr. Insurance Agent; he needs to earn his commission.

Title: Re: Motorcycle Accident - EF Recovery?
Post by built2last66 on 09/11/11 at 04:54:05

Being hit by a deer (especially on a motorcycle) is not negligent driving, and that's what the EF Recovery service claims to bill people for. I would send them a certified letter (so you get a receipt) claiming that you owe nothing and are not the person at fault.

I would follow up with a few calls just to make sure they don't send it to a collection agency and mess up your credit.

I personally don't even think that your insurance agency should have to pay a dime for it.

I'm doing more research on this company, pretty interesting, the double taxation scam they have going on.