Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
According to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud and other groups, a poor economy has resulted in an increase in insurance fraud. In some cases, people are burning their own possessions – such as their own cars – for a payout or in order to stop having to pay insurance. In other cases, people are causing small fender benders or accidents in order to try to bilk other people’s insurance companies.
Many people try to bilk insurance companies because they tend to see it as a victimless crime, according to experts. Many insurance customers see insurance companies as huge companies not hurt by a few claims. However, this is not the case. Personal injury fraud and insurance fraud result in higher premiums for everyone. What can be even worse is that some people victimize other insurance customers. For example, if someone causes a small Florida car accident and falsely claims they have sustained whiplash or another injury, they are in effect victimizing the driver of the other car. That driver may face higher premiums as a result of the accident.
Similarly, if a fraudster claims that they have sustained an injury in a Florida slip and fall accident, the owner of the property where the accident allegedly occurred may face problems and increased insurance costs due to the scam. Of course, some fraudsters do not stop at insurance claims and in fact try to take their victims to court, suing for damages.
According to experts, false personal injury claims have increased 57% across the country in the past year. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau and other groups, high unemployment and financial stress may be fueling these increases. According to experts, Florida leads the nation in staged accident fraud. In some of these fraud cases, people are actually recruited by larger scam groups to pretend they have an injury. These fraud operations are very sophisticated, and medication practitioners are often in on the scam. The recruited “victims” go to these health care practitioners for unneeded care and the practitioners can then bill insurance companies. Florida is a target for these schemes, say experts, because Florida has a law requiring car insurance companies to pay at least $10 000 in medical bills in Florida car accidents, regardless of fault.
Worst of all, fraudulent insurance claims harm people who have genuinely sustained injuries. If you have been in a Florida pedestrian accident or have sustained an accident in some other way and make a claim with an insurance provider, you may find your provider treating your claim with more suspicion due to the fraudulent claims that insurance companies cope with each day. If this happens to you, you may need a qualified Florida personal injury attorney to negotiate with insurance providers on your behalf.
If you are having insurance provider woes after an accident or injury, contact the friendly and experienced legal team at Flaxman Law Group today. The Flaxman Law Group has assisted Florida personal injury patients in Miami, Homestead, Hollywood, and surrounding areas. Our experience and professionalism may help you get the recovery you deserve.