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10550 Independence Pointe Pkwy, Ste 200
Matthews, NC 28105
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(704) 759-6110

Semirog Law Firm, pllc is a personal injury and auto accidents law firm located in Charlotte and Matthews, North Carolina.   We are committed to providing quality legal services in a dedicated and cost-effective manner to all members of our community, regardless of race, gender, or national origin.

We have handled complicated litigation in the areas of personal injury, car wrecks, truck accidents, family and business law.  In addition, we have experience in real estate law and short-sale negotiations.

We offer standard and flexible billing arrangements for our clients, such as flat fee billing, hourly billing, and contingency fee billing depending on the type of legal matter.

Newsletter

Matthews North Carolina personal injury and auto accident attorneys and Charlotte North Carolina personal injury and auto accident and car accident and motorcycle accident attorneys.

Read our blog where we post recents news in developments in the personal injury and car and auto accidents law in North Carolina.  Learn interesting facts and legal concepts that will help you in your daily life.

Insurance Fraud, Drivers Fraught!

Serge Semirog

The National Insurance Crime Bureau states that nearly 1 in 3 auto insurance claims in New York City may be fraudulent and that rate is even higher in Los Angeles, CA the city with the most questionable claims.  

As Charlotte continues to grow as a city, you should be aware of potential insurance fraud scams or else you may fall prey and pay the consequences.

Types of Scams

Video from the NCDOI giving an example of "Aggravating Damages"

Not-so-accidental accidents: The driver taking advantage of insurance claims will lure the victim to do a certain action and then cause an accident.  For example, a driver slows down to let someone make a left turn only to speed up causing the second driver to collide.  

Or, at a stoplight, the victim pulls behind another car stopped at a traffic signal; the car then backs into the victim's vehicle claiming that he or she was rear-ended.

Maybe a driver waves you on to merge only to accelerate and side-swipe your vehicle denying having ever given you express consent. A common enough occurrence, the claim becomes a battle of who says what.

False Witness Reports: One important factor of many motor vehicle accidents is the presence of a witness.  The testimony of a third-party is often valued as neutral and objective.  Unfortunately, insurance scammers often call on friends or co-conspirators to claim to be a witness who corroborates his or her story thus causing the victim to be at-fault.

Example of an "Unaware" Pedestrian

Aggravating Damages: In a perfectly legitimate accident, two vehicles are damaged.  The not-at-fault driver will then do additional damage to his or her vehicle claiming that it was a result of the accident.  

Unaware Pedestrians: The fraudulent party will be walking in the road or on the sidewalk.  Often enough, he or she will simply run into the moving or even stationary vehicle and fall down claiming that the driver failed to stop.  

Avoiding Insurance Fraud

The best way to avoid any type of fraud is to gather as much information about the accident immediately after it occurred.  Court dates and settlement claims happen months if not years later, when crucial details can be lost.  Taking a detailed account of the accident including the number of passengers, the immediate injuries of both parties, any witness information and damage to the vehicles can help fight fraudulent claims.  

Because of people who commit insurance fraud, premiums go up and people's lives are at risk. Reporting fraud is a serious matter and all people should be aware of someone willing to take advantage of a system meant for recovery rather than personal gain. If you believe someone is committing fraud, you can report him or her to the NC Department of Insurance. 

 
By Serge SemirogGoogle +