Personal injury cases are quite difficult, both for the claimant and the lawyer. When someone gets injured due to someone else’s ill will, neglect, or failure, they have the right to seek a personal injury case, where they can then fight to get compensation for the financial loss, stress, etc.
People who live in Springfield are very familiar with this, as lots of personal injury cases have taken place there. For this reason, many end up seeking a Springfield personal injury attorney to get the compensation they deserve. So, depending on where the accident occurs, you might want to hire a local lawyer who knows the ins and outs of the state’s legislation.
Unfortunately, there are also dishonest people who exaggerate their injuries, going after someone’s money so they can use it for their benefit. Fundamental dishonesty and fraud are not new to personal injury cases, and it is important to know what qualifies as fraud or fundamental dishonesty.
What Is Fundamental Dishonesty?
Fundamental dishonesty happens when the claimant lies about the extent of their injuries or any aspect of the personal injury claim. Sometimes, claimants end up exaggerating things in order to gain more compensation, or they may do it when persuaded by others. There are even situations when someone lies about the symptoms out of fear that medical experts will think the injury is not real. Needless to say, this is illegal.
So, personal injury claim fraud can occur when you lie about the things you can and cannot physically do, exaggerate the symptoms of the injuries, say that you cannot work, or declare a false financial losses amount.
How Do Defendants Find Out?
Even if you think that there is no way the defendant will know the true extent of the injuries, he/she will eventually find out. Bear in mind that defendants only want to pay you to compensate for your financial losses, and they do not want to pay anything extra. That being said, they will carefully investigate everything.
They might collect evidence from your social media that shows the lies in your statements, or they may end up putting you under secret surveillance, so they know everything you are doing. All the evidence will then be used in order to discredit your claim.
What Are the Consequences?
When you lie in any lawsuit, there will be severe consequences. A personal injury claim is meant to help you go back to the position you were in before the accident. So, it should not be used as a means to make money for unreal injuries.
If it is proven that you lied when making your claim, proceeding with the case will be very difficult. You may end up coming to a settlement with the defendant where you get compensation for the true amount of financial losses, while in other cases, the claim will end up before a judge if the defendant wants it. If this happens, you risk losing the right to any financial compensation.
A personal injury case requires full honesty, just like any other case. Fundamental dishonesty and fraud come with serious consequences. So, if you are ever the claimant, in any case, make sure you are honest at all times.
