Is this insurance fraud?
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Is this insurance fraud?
A few weeks ago, a colleague of mine was involved in a rear-end collision. In reality, it was more of a tap. After the accident my friend exited his car and approached the vehicle that was rear-ended. The driver did not speak English so he was unable to communicate with her. Out of nowhere, 5 or 6 of her friend's showed up. Shortly there after, an officer also showed up. When this happened, the people that showed up became very nervous saying
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Even very light impacts can cause whiplash and tissue damage. I can only imagine that would be the worst of the claim.
When I was t-boned, it was a low speed impact (10mph tops). I talked to my mom's chiropractor and told them I saw it coming, I was braced for it and it was low speed and they said even then, it could cause me problems over the next couple months.
If this guy wasnt expecting the hit, he still could have suffered some minor injury. Symptoms of whiplash and the like do not show up right away, so people saying "They're fine" at the scene doesnt mean they actually are.
Common insurance fraud is when you rear end someone and they immediately get out holding their neck and moaning about the pain.
When I was t-boned, it was a low speed impact (10mph tops). I talked to my mom's chiropractor and told them I saw it coming, I was braced for it and it was low speed and they said even then, it could cause me problems over the next couple months.
If this guy wasnt expecting the hit, he still could have suffered some minor injury. Symptoms of whiplash and the like do not show up right away, so people saying "They're fine" at the scene doesnt mean they actually are.
Common insurance fraud is when you rear end someone and they immediately get out holding their neck and moaning about the pain.
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Originally Posted by Sabre,Jan 6 2008, 08:44 AM
Even very light impacts can cause whiplash and tissue damage. I can only imagine that would be the worst of the claim.
When I was t-boned, it was a low speed impact (10mph tops). I talked to my mom's chiropractor and told them I saw it coming, I was braced for it and it was low speed and they said even then, it could cause me problems over the next couple months.
If this guy wasnt expecting the hit, he still could have suffered some minor injury. Symptoms of whiplash and the like do not show up right away, so people saying "They're fine" at the scene doesnt mean they actually are.
Common insurance fraud is when you rear end someone and they immediately get out holding their neck and moaning about the pain.
When I was t-boned, it was a low speed impact (10mph tops). I talked to my mom's chiropractor and told them I saw it coming, I was braced for it and it was low speed and they said even then, it could cause me problems over the next couple months.
If this guy wasnt expecting the hit, he still could have suffered some minor injury. Symptoms of whiplash and the like do not show up right away, so people saying "They're fine" at the scene doesnt mean they actually are.
Common insurance fraud is when you rear end someone and they immediately get out holding their neck and moaning about the pain.
Even though people look and feel fine right away, it can really hurt later.
Grannyrod in the Vintage forum had something similar happen. She thought she was fine, but within the week she was in some serious pain.
And even though someone is walking around smiling doesn't mean they're not in real pain, either.
I had a neck injury a few years back and continued working and everything, but it would wake me up from sleep every night with pain. It really sucked.
In this case, it still could be fraud but you never know.
That's why ALWAYS get a police report and file with insurance. You have nothing to hide if it wasn't your fault and it protects you from getting screwed by sketchy people later.
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What about the car he hit? Was the rear of the other car damaged at all? Again, it's possible that he suffered minor whiplash if he wasnt expecting anything. A sudden jolt from behind can cause torn tissue. You can get whiplash if someone pushes you from behind and you dont expect it, causing your head to snap back.
It could certainly be fraud, but insurance companies have people to investigate that sort of thing. Let them deal with it.
It could certainly be fraud, but insurance companies have people to investigate that sort of thing. Let them deal with it.
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[QUOTE=plutonium239,Jan 6 2008, 07:16 AM] A few weeks ago, a colleague of mine was involved in a rear-end collision. In reality, it was more of a tap. After the accident my friend exited his car and approached the vehicle that was rear-ended. The driver did not speak English so he was unable to communicate with her. Out of nowhere, 5 or 6 of her friend's showed up. Shortly there after, an officer also showed up. When this happened, the people that showed up became very nervous saying
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what state are you in? In some states, your own car insurance pays your medical bills, regardless of who is at fault. So if someone hits you with a car, your insurance pays your bills, and their insurance pays theirs.
And it is incumbent upon the claimant, I'd think, to prove the pain was caused by the incident you describe. If there was no police report, and especially if the other person claimed they were fine, how is anyone supposed to believe the incident and the claimed injuries are even related?
It would be much easier to assign responsibility if the other person accepted a ride in an ambulance. Claims of "injuries" that come up days or weeks later might be common, but that doesn't mean your friend is in any way responsible.
And it is incumbent upon the claimant, I'd think, to prove the pain was caused by the incident you describe. If there was no police report, and especially if the other person claimed they were fine, how is anyone supposed to believe the incident and the claimed injuries are even related?
It would be much easier to assign responsibility if the other person accepted a ride in an ambulance. Claims of "injuries" that come up days or weeks later might be common, but that doesn't mean your friend is in any way responsible.
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Originally Posted by GT_2003,Jan 6 2008, 01:23 PM
what state are you in? In some states, your own car insurance pays your medical bills, regardless of who is at fault. So if someone hits you with a car, your insurance pays your bills, and their insurance pays theirs.
And it is incumbent upon the claimant, I'd think, to prove the pain was caused by the incident you describe. If there was no police report, and especially if the other person claimed they were fine, how is anyone supposed to believe the incident and the claimed injuries are even related?
It would be much easier to assign responsibility if the other person accepted a ride in an ambulance. Claims of "injuries" that come up days or weeks later might be common, but that doesn't mean your friend is in any way responsible.
And it is incumbent upon the claimant, I'd think, to prove the pain was caused by the incident you describe. If there was no police report, and especially if the other person claimed they were fine, how is anyone supposed to believe the incident and the claimed injuries are even related?
It would be much easier to assign responsibility if the other person accepted a ride in an ambulance. Claims of "injuries" that come up days or weeks later might be common, but that doesn't mean your friend is in any way responsible.
