Questionable claims for slip-and-fall injuries are on the rise, according to an article in NJ Property Casualty 360. While business claims represent the majority of such scams, homeowners are increasingly being targeted, too.
More scrutiny on the part of insurance companies means a greater burden of proof on people with bona fide injuries resulting from someone’s negligence.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reported a 2 percent increase in potentially fraudulent claims from 2017-19. The bureau analyzed 6,471 potentially fraudulent slip-and-falls. Overall, 79 percent of those claims were filed against commercial business policies. More than 50 percent were filed against commercial general liability policies. While claims occurred most often at retail stores, restaurants and in parking lots, homeowners also were targeted.
NICB has investigated nearly 12,000 questionable claims for slip and fall cases since 2015. “Insurers have a responsibility to their policyholders to make certain their premium dollar goes as far as possible. Investigations of potentially fraudulent claims by insurers and NICB means consumers will get the most from what they pay.”
If you have been injured by a slip and fall or trip and fall in Pennsylvania, it’s best to reach out to a skilled law firm with this kind of experience. Our firm is recognized as a leader in litigating premises liability cases in Pennsylvania.