3 years ago the City of London Police setup the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) in an attempt to fight against the growing number of bogus compensation claims being made against insurance companies.
Whilst Russell Worth Solicitors is here to help people claim for personal injury when they have suffered an injury through no fault of their own, we are fervently against and will not assist people in their attempts to make fraudulent claims. For this reason, we are very much supporters of the IFED.
On the 24th September there were a series of dawn arrests across the country made by the IFED in connection with fraudulent slip and trip claims.
Those arrested were spread throughout the country and was a coordinated effort between the police forces in the following areas: Cleveland, Essex, Manchester, Lancashire, Leicestershire, West Midlands, West Yorkshire; and a further 4 people from London and West Yorkshire were interviewed by police.
The cases which were tipped off to police by the insurance companies range in value from £8.5K for a slip and trip in a college canteen to £200K for the largest of the claims for on-going medical treatment for a bus injury sustained in Pakistan 4 years ago.
DCI Dave Wood, the head of the IFED was quoted as saying “Today’s “trip and slip” day of action marks a major step forward in our nationwide investigation targeting people suspected of trying to con insurers with bogus insurance claims.”
“Those who lie about injuries suffered in real or fictitious accidents can also expect an early-morning knock at their door from IFED detectives.”
Peter Russell of Russell Worth Solicitors said “The work that the IFED are doing is excellent. It is the fraudulent or over inflated claims and the companies who wittingly assist with them that tarnish this industries reputation.”
“Russell Worth strive for what is fair and proportional to the actual and real suffering that our clients endure in their accidents, along with a balanced consideration for the suffering they take with them for months, sometimes years, of their life.”
