Personal Injury Law

State Farm Sued After Producing Fraudulent Medical Reports

By Jamie G. Goldstein

State Farm has long been reluctant to pay injured victims insurance money they rightfully deserve. As noted in previous blog posts, they prefer to use the delay, deny, defend tactic. While implementing this delay, deny, defend policy, State Farm also calls on what defendants like to call "Independent Medical Examiners" to examine a plaintiff to determine if he or she is injured.

These exams are far from "independent". The defense attorney chooses who is going to examine the plaintiff. It is not an independent person chosen by agreement between the parties. Often the doctor examinig the plaintiff has been hired on numerous occasions in the past by State Farm.

A lawsuit that was recently filed in New York states the reports generated by these so called "independent medical examiners" were fraudulent in nature. There are documents and testimony that are believed to show the doctors hired by State Farm were told to leave out certain opinions that would favor the injured person. The claims of the injured person would then be denied by State Farm as not medically necessary.

If this is true, there could be many more problems to come for State Farm. These independent medical examiners are also used during trials and there opinions impact the jury's final decision as to fault and compensation. If the reports are not accurate, many victims may be wrongfully denied compensation.

Only time will tell what the outcome will be, but injured victims have the right to be compensated fully for their injuries. If you or someone you know has been injured at the hands of another, contact an attorney to learn what your legal rights are.

Full post as published by Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer on February 15, 2008 (boomark / email).