Louisiana Injury Lawyers Blog
Many people know the feeling of frustration when trying to obtain fair compensation for any bodily injury and property damage after getting into a car accident. Auto accidents happen every day to even the most cautious drivers, but are the victims of these accidents telling the truth? Or are they trying to finesse the insurance company?
Unfortunately, honest people often pay the price for those who are out to scam insurance companies. Liars, cheaters, and crooks have no business being plaintiffs in personal injury cases. Especially when there are individuals who are legitimately hurt and would like to pursue a genuine claim, not just get a quick check.
A deceitful plaintiff may claim a fake injury in many ways. Most commonly, a plaintiff may exaggerate their injury to get a bigger settlement check. Sometimes, the claimant will even try to use a prior injury as the basis for a new claim. They may also stage an accident such as a slip and fall or purposely get in a minor car crash to receive damages from the insurance company.
Sadly, these acts of dishonesty and scamming end up hurting those who are sincere. Because of this, many insurance companies raise the price of their premiums and are skeptical of each injury claim. Due to so many fraudulent and exaggerated claims, the insurance companies investigate the claims closely to ensure that the victim is actually injured as they allege and is not just trying to get a settlement check. This results in honest claimants having to work even harder to prove their injury and show why they deserve fair compensation.
Louisiana legislators have recently approved a bill that they hope will promote lower auto insurance rates, reduce excessive jury verdicts, and limit the amount of recoverable medical expenses by changing the way courts handle auto accident lawsuits. Those who fought for this tort reform feel that these high insurance premiums were a result of the large number of injury cases in our courts and encourage settling these cases out of court.
Instead, tort reform should be designed to prohibit crooks from benefiting from their own wrongdoing, and legislation should be drafted to prevent these types of individuals from gaming the system.
The reality is that scammers, liars, and cheaters are often rewarded with a quick check as it is nearly impossible for the insurance company and the courts to sniff out each and every fraudulent claim. Those who are legitimately hurt and would like to pursue an honest claim should not have to pay the price.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident, let us help you get the compensation you deserve. PHONE CARDONE at 504-522-3333, 225-706-3920 (Baton Rouge office) or email us at ccardone@cardonelaw.com for a free consultation.