You Can’t Fake Personal Injury
Selena Edwards, 38, of Victorville, California, is in a lot of trouble. Edwards is accused of using fake photographs to sue McDonald’s. The photos show someone’s burned hands, but they aren’t hers. Edwards claimed that her hands were burned by hot McDonald’s coffee, but detectives say she copied the photos from a hospital website. Edwards is now facing 21 felony counts of insurance and workers’ compensation fraud in California, but California’s not the only state that’s tough on fraud. In Illinois, don’t even try to fake a personal injury and file a fraudulent claim. You’ll get caught and you’ll probably go to jail. However, if you are genuinely injured in or near Chicago because of someone else’s negligence, discuss your case promptly with a good Chicago personal injury lawyer.
Personal injury insurance fraud is typically defined as any act that is intended to cause an insurance company to compensate you for an injury that is nonexistent, exaggerated, or unrelated to any accident covered by the policy. Common examples include faking or exaggerating injuries from an accident, or planning or staging a car theft, arson, or collision. It is important to note that you can be guilty of fraudulently filing a personal injury claim even if you do not lie or make false representations; if you simply fail to disclose information which you have a legal duty to disclose, or which would be reasonable for you to disclose under the circumstances, you may be guilty of filing a fraudulent personal injury claim. Let a good personal injury lawyer help you with any personal injury claim to make sure that your claim is complete and accurate.
It’s been twenty years since the famous McDonald’s coffee case, when Stella Leibeck of New Mexico was originally awarded $2.86 million for third-degree burns after hot coffee allegedly spilled in her lap. If your injury is genuine, you have a legal right to compensation for your medical treatment, lost wages, and other injury-related expenses. If you’re injured because of someone else’s negligence in or near Chicago, get medical attention immediately, and then speak promptly with an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer.
