Defending Yourself Against Scams

A chiropractor and his wife confessed to engineering a scam to defraud insurance companies by overstating the extent of injuries suffered by people under their care. As part of the scam, the St. Louis couple bribed police officers for access to accident reports and other documents not meant for public release, then used the information to gain access to people in accident and funnel them to pre-selected attorneys.

Though not the primary victims of the fraud, other drivers involved in accidents with the chiropractor’s patients also suffered, as the patients were referred to certain lawyers and encouraged to file unfounded lawsuits. Without proper representation, it is likely that at least some of those drivers suffered harm, whether it be higher insurance costs or an unfair judgment based on faulty testimony.

No matter how hard any given profession seeks to weed out bad actors, there are always those who try to take advantage of the system, as cases like this demonstrate. Dishonest doctors and other professionals warp the legal system and must be addressed. Often, the only way to counter this type of dishonesty is to bring in experts of your own.

An experienced attorney is the best protection against being taken advantage of in court. Though bad actors are rare, they do exist, and without a skilled lawyer, it is easy to be overwhelmed. The court system is a strange and intricate place for people without the experience to navigate it.

If you or someone you love has been in an accident, it can be tempting to just let the insurance company handle it, and hope for the best. But all too often, the best-case scenario doesn’t play out. Consider retaining an attorney of your own to ensure that your rights are not tramped by bad actors.