Fraud In Slip And Fall Cases
Be wary of guests who visit your premises and pretend to get badly injured by a slip and fall accident. There are also exaggerators who make unnecessary claims of extreme injuries. On average, fraudulent personal injury claims cost $80 billion each year. Around 10% of this amount is tied to premises liability cases. In Illinois, anyone violating the Insurance Claims Fraud Prevent Act must pay a penalty between $5,000 and $10,000 in addition to three times the settlement claim amount. If you believe someone is fraudulently filing a settlement claim against you, speak to attorneys as soon as possible. Having an attorney on your side can help protect you. They use evidence and other methods to prove you are not at fault. Contact Hipskind and Mcaninch Attorneys to learn more.
Manipulation Of Evidence
The fraudulent claimant can try to manipulate evidence to make their story appear more accurate. They may throw away or destroy evidence before anyone discovers it so no one can disprove them.
Staged Accidents
False victims of a slip and fall accident may attempt to stage an accident so the premises owner takes blame. For example, in a supermarket, an individual can make the floor slippery by dropping grapes. Once they slip and fall, they try to file a claim against the premises owner.
Fake Plaintiffs
Experienced slip and fall frauds often recruit multiple individuals to help them commit the crime. They might hire people to take the fall and then split the settlement reward.
Overblown Injuries
If someone was genuinely injured on another’s premises, they might still commit fraud by exaggerating. For example, they may claim they have broken bones or fractures when they only have sprained or strained muscles.
Signs Of A Fake Slip And Fall Injury Claim
When you experience a claim against you that does not make sense, investigate the claim before taking it seriously. With the help of your slip and fall attorney, you can have the slip and fall accident investigated for fraudulent activity. Some ways you may notice signs of fraud include the following:
Quick To Blame
Once an individual has fallen, if they make a scene and are concerned with placing blame on the premises owner, this can be a red flag. The injured individual should be worried about their injuries, rather than trying to draw attention to their accident.
History Of Lawsuits
If your attorney discovers the claimant has filed and won multiple lawsuits, they may be inciting fraud. It is possible they have targeted more than one business and managed to get away with winning a settlement for a staged accident.
Declined Medical Attention
If the claimant does not visit a doctor or avoids receiving medical attention, this is problematic. They may be avoiding a physical exam so they can make exaggerated claims about their injuries.
Gets Injured Away From Surveillance Videos
The claimant may have strategically managed to be injured away from surveillance cameras. This is highly convenient, preventing anyone from analyzing exactly how the injury occurred.
Has Overly Supportive Witnesses
Veteran fraudulent claimants often work together as an organized crime unit and even have recruits. If you see very adamant sympathetic witnesses supporting someone who is clearly fraudulent, these may be their accomplices.
What To Do If This Happens To You
A fraudulent slip and fall claim can happen anywhere. Whether it is your home or your business, you should pay attention to the warning signs the claimant might be a fraud. You should speak to your insurance fraud attorney and notify them what you experienced with the claimant. They can investigate the claim to see if it is valid. Attorneys are talented at finding valuable evidence that can demonstrate what happened. Your St.Louis personal injury attorney will help represent your case in the event the claimant tries to file a lawsuit against you. With little evidence and no proof of severe injuries, it is unlikely a false insurance claim will win. Call Hipskind and Mcaninch Attorneys for an initial consultation today.