Predatory towing claims can drain your budget fast. When your truck needs towing, every hour counts — and storage fees pile up quickly.
Towing disputes often escalate into expensive legal battles, with storage costs accumulating daily while you fight inflated charges.
The key: Act immediately with a strategic response plan.
Your Four-Step Action Plan
1. Direct your driver
- Use your designated towing company if possible
- Document everything: photos of the truck, its load, and towing equipment
- Capture what the towing company is actually doing
2. Contact your towing expert immediately
- Storage fees are often the biggest expense
- Get a fair market value assessment
- Be ready to pay that amount on the spot
3. Make a fair offer (and document it)
- Offer fair value — not a lowball amount
- This becomes your trial evidence of reasonableness
- Creates potential defense against storage charges
Bonus: This positions you to counterclaim for equipment loss of use.
4. Mobilize your attorney
- File an “Action in Replevin” to get court-ordered release
- Critical for time-sensitive loads
- Stops storage fees from accumulating
Heads up: You may need to post bond based on vehicle value
Don't Get Caught Off Guard
Prepare for equipment release before you need it. Many tow companies create bureaucratic hurdles even after you've paid or have a court order.
What you'll likely need:
- Workers' compensation insurance certificates
- Proper documentation from retrieval company
- Multiple trips if you're not prepared
By the Numbers
- Storage fees accumulate daily
- Court bonds often equal vehicle value
- Multiple retrieval attempts = lost time and money
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
