Why Is a Law Firm Calling You After Your Car Accident? What’s Really Going On

If you were in a car accident and got a call, text, or even a knock on your door from a law firm you never contacted, within hours or a day or two of the crash, you are not imagining things, and it is not a coincidence. Someone got your information without your permission, and the way they are pitching you probably involves at least one outright lie. This is illegal in California, and you have real options. Here is exactly how it works, why it is against the law, and what to do about it.

How They Got Your Information

You did not give this firm your phone number. So where did it come from? Usually one of these:

• Someone accessed your police report improperly. Traffic collision reports in California are confidential. Under Vehicle Code section 20012, they can only be released to a “party of interest,” meaning the drivers involved, injured passengers, vehicle owners, or an attorney who already represents one of them. A stranger cannot legally buy your report just because you were in a crash.
• Someone at the tow company sold or passed along your information. This is extremely common and often overlooked. Tow truck drivers and dispatchers are frequently at the scene before anyone else, they see the crash, they know your name from the vehicle registration, and some are paid a fee, sometimes called a “referral fee” but really a kickback, to hand your contact information to a runner working for a law firm or a medical clinic.
• Someone at a hospital, clinic, or records office did the same thing. Intake staff, billing clerks, and even some first responders have been caught doing this for cash.

None of this is a normal part of how insurance or medical care works. If a stranger reaches out to you claiming to know about your accident, someone was paid to leak your information, and that is illegal on its own.

The Lies They Tell You

Once they have your number, the pitch usually includes some version of the following, and all of it is designed to get you to sign something before you have time to think:

• “We work with your insurance company.” No legitimate law firm “works with” your insurer. Your insurance company and any attorney representing you are supposed to be on opposite sides of the negotiation, not partners. This claim exists purely to make you feel like signing up is just a formality.
• “We can guarantee you a big settlement.” No honest attorney can tell you what your case is worth over the phone, minutes after the crash, before anyone has looked at a single medical record. This is a sales script, not a legal opinion.
• “You need to sign today or you’ll lose your rights.” You almost never need to sign anything on the day of a crash. Real deadlines exist, but they are measured in months and years, not hours.

Why This Is Actually Illegal, Not Just Sleazy

This is not a gray area. California law addresses this specific pattern directly, in several ways:

• The phone call itself is banned. California Rule of Professional Conduct 7.3 prohibits a lawyer from soliciting you by live phone call or in person for money-motivated reasons unless you are a relative, a close personal contact, or a prior client.
• Paying someone to find you and steer you to a lawyer is a crime. Business and Professions Code section 6152 makes it illegal to act as a “runner or capper,” meaning a paid middleman who solicits accident victims on an attorney’s behalf, and section 6153 sets real penalties, up to a year in county jail and a $15,000 fine for a first offense, with felony exposure for repeat conduct.
• Any contract you sign this way can be void. Business and Professions Code section 6154 says a contract obtained through a runner or capper is void, which means you may be entitled to walk away and get back any fees you already paid.
• California just strengthened these protections. Senate Bill 37, signed into law in October 2025 and in effect since January 1, 2026, specifically targets third-party lead generators who solicit accident victims and sell the leads to attorneys, bans misleading claims about a lawyer’s results or awards, and gives you, the consumer, the right to sue directly over it.

Red Flags Checklist

You are very likely dealing with an illegal solicitation scheme if any of these are true:

• You were contacted within hours or a day or two of the crash, by phone, text, or in person
• You never gave this person or firm your contact information
• They claim to “work with” or have a relationship with your insurance company
• They pressure you to sign paperwork immediately, especially at the scene, in a hospital room, or over the phone
• They promise a specific dollar amount before reviewing any records
• The person contacting you is not actually a licensed attorney, but a “case manager,” “advocate,” or “investigator”

What To Do If This Happens to You

1. Do not sign anything on the spot. A legitimate attorney will never need you to sign in the first five minutes of a phone call.
2. Hang up or say no, and do not give out further personal or medical information.
3. If you already signed something, you may be able to void it. Contracts obtained through illegal solicitation are void under California law, and you can consult a different attorney to help you get out of it and recover fees already paid.
4. Report it. You can file a complaint with the State Bar of California at 1-800-843-9053, or report it to your local police or district attorney’s office, since running and capping is a criminal offense, not just an ethics violation.
5. Ask your tow company and medical providers directly whether they share client information with third parties, and choose ones that say no.

How to Choose the Right Attorney Yourself

The best protection is simply not waiting to be found. Before you sign with anyone:

• Check that the attorney is actually licensed and in good standing using the State Bar’s free attorney search
• Confirm the firm has a real, physical office, not just a call center or a website
• Ask directly how they got your contact information if they reached out first
• Get the fee agreement in writing before agreeing to anything, and read it
• Take your time. A firm that pressures you to decide immediately is telling you something about how they operate

How FIRM SB Professional Law Corporation Can Help

At FIRM SB Professional Law Corporation, we never buy leads, never use runners, and never cold-call accident victims, because we do not have to, and because it is illegal. If you were solicited illegally after an accident, whether or not you have already signed with someone else, we are happy to talk through your options, including whether a prior contract can be voided. We represent injured people throughout California on a contingency basis, meaning there is no attorney’s fee unless we recover for you.

Contact our office at 310-341-4554 or visit firmsb.com to schedule a free consultation, on your own timeline, not someone else’s.

Attorney Advertising. This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, nor does it create an attorney-client relationship. Every situation depends on its own facts, and only a licensed attorney who has reviewed your specific circumstances can advise you on your rights. This firm handles personal injury and consumer matters on a contingency fee basis; ask us about your responsibility for costs if there is no recovery. FIRM SB Professional Law Corporation, 11400 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90064. Shervin Behnam, Esq., California State Bar No. 221921.

Editorial note: This article was researched and drafted with the assistance of AI tools, using primary sources including the California Business and Professions Code, Vehicle Code, the Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of California, and current California legislation, and was reviewed by our office for accuracy before publication.