Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-15
MOTOR CLUDSF|GHT
AMBULANCE CHASE.
A, A. A. Offers Aid to Drivers
AGAINST "vuIturous' Prac-
tees After Accidents.

yirtitniglnr the niotoriSt involved III
an accident resulting In personal injury
and taking his cut" of the unfair set
Elements that he forces on behalf oil
the injured person in such a rntshap
the ambulance chaser" has become the
nhiect a; Nation wide campaign on
the mart of motor clubs, says state
Ynenf issued today by national head
quarters Of the American Automobile
Association,
Co-oneratin9 with other agencies and
existing the full weight Of public opin-
ion in behalf of the effort to stamp out
the "vulturous" practices OF this large
and growing class. the motor club Is in
The f1ght until the last trace of the
blight Is removed the executive on
cials Of the A. A. A. declare.
As primary step In calling halt
In the illegftinate activities Of the
ambulance chaser" the A. A. A. points
out ehe alarming proportions Of the
evil In the current issue of its maya
zine, the American Motorisf. In the
ranks of the ambulance chaser are the
oesnicahle members OF the honorable
professions Of medicine and law, allied
with INSCRIPTIONS hospital attendants.
policemen and other hanCeTs-on whose
depravtty Of conscience permits them to
prey upon the public In dangerous
way. saws the statement
Gives Legal Aid.
Placing its facilities for legal service
at the disposal of the motoTist who is
at a loss for the proper procedure in
event he feels himself being victimised,
the A. A. A. chain of 1854 motor clubs
intends to run down every instance of
ambulance chasing" called TO its at
tention Such q policy is essential to
the complete determination of the evil
and its army Of practitioners, motor Of
flcials believe.
The service offered is not one of
value TO the niotor-car owner only,
saws the statement. but to the possible
victim Of the automobile accident. The
latter is preyed upon by the ambulance
chaser Just as avidly as the former
Out Of the unjust and unfairly obtained
settlements received by, the bureaus and
companies afiliated with the general
evil, the injured person shares dispro-
portionately with the agent who makes
the collection.
The credulous motorist involved in
nnisfaap and the equally creduious VIC
easy prey for the smooth talking pro-
fessicnal ambulance chaser who utilities
their upset emotions to get signatures
to papers and documents that give him
complete charge of the case. It is high
time that the general public be in
formed of this evil and its extent in
order that beginning may be made
toward discriminating it."
Need City Ordinances,
Punitive steps already are being
taken in many places as far as the am
hulance chaser is concerned. but this
course must be adopted on a wider scale
before genuine Roadway can be made.
in the opinion of the A. A. A.
1t suggests, as fundamental in the
fight. the need for more rigorous city
ordinances stricter supervision OF po-
lice precincts, opposition from honor
able legal and medical societies, and ex-
posure of the bureaus and COM
panies" that participate IN accident
claim collections. Further. it warns
that the notorist and the accident VIC
tim must be ever on the alert against
the depredations Of the smooth talking
Individual who arrives at the accident
scene immediately with an offer to
represent the injured party.
Ambulance chasing" the statement
concludes, lis one of the most deadly
hligf7ts that has grown up out of the
street and highway accident situation.
Its determination Is duty to which
honorable agencies and individuals must
turn their attention"