Insurance

A significant increase in people who are now prepared to make fraudulent personal injury claims to supplement their income.

An astonishing eighty nine percent of lawyers believe that the No Win No Fee arrangement has encouraged more people to make deceitful injury claims, according to research carried out by LV.

Overstating injuries has been on the rise for the past 10 years say almost sixty percent of the solicitors involved, with almost half stating they have witnessed a surge in false claimants since the start of the recession.

The most common types of injury that are likely to be embellished are whiplash, post traumatic stress disorder and strained muscles, with car accidents being the favourite choice of incident for these injuries to occur.

The LV investigation established that sixty three percent of the legal professionals believe that television advertising of these kinds of services is one of the key factors for the increase in false injury claims, they also believe that those involved do perceive it as an easy way to make money.

As a consequence of these actions, sixty two percent of lawyers now scrutinise in much greater depth the submitted personal injury claim forms before committing to any further action.

One law firm specialising in the investigation and handling of suspected fraudulent personal injury claims on behalf of insurance companies echoes what is being said by LV and confirms that the experience of their own fraud unit is that some types of insurance fraud are now reaching epidemic proportions.

Let there be misunderstanding here, personal injury claims fraud is not a faceless crime; there is a direct link to the rise in fraud perpetrated by dishonest people and the extra you have to pay out of your own pocket and if we cite one example from LV then you are now one hundred pounds per year worse off due to the increase in car insurance premiums.

Martin Milliner, LV technical claims director, said: Legitimate cases of personal injury where another person or company is to blame are certainly a cause for recompense. However, drivers who concoct or exaggerate their injuries to make a claim not only break the law but also push up the cost of car insurance premiums for all motorists. We support all solicitors to continue to apply thorough questioning to anyone claiming a personal injury, and to investigate very carefully any concerns they have about the dependability of any claim.

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