Jacksonville Defense Attorneys Describe How to Avoid Insurance Fraud Convictions
Contents
Avoiding Insurance Fraud Charges: Advice from Jacksonville Defense Attorneys
Being accused of insurance fraud can be scary. The penalties are severe, including hefty fines and even jail time. But with the right legal strategy, many charges can be reduced or dismissed.
As Jacksonville defense attorneys experienced in these cases, we want to provide advice to help you avoid an insurance fraud conviction. This article covers common fraud charges, potential defenses, and steps to take if you’re under investigation.
Common Insurance Fraud Charges
Some of the most common insurance fraud charges we see are:
- Staging car accidents to file injury claims
- Exaggerating damages from an actual accident
- Lying about pre-existing health conditions on applications
- Filing claims for medical treatments never received
- Billing for unnecessary or more expensive services
Insurance fraud laws are complex with many gray areas. Even mistakes can lead to criminal charges. So it’s important to consult an attorney early if you believe you’re under investigation.
Potential Defenses Against Fraud Charges
Skilled Jacksonville defense attorneys will thoroughly examine the details of your case to build strong defenses. Some strategies we commonly use are:
- Lack of criminal intent – We can often show mistakes were made unintentionally without purposeful deception.
- Entrapment – Undercover investigators sometimes improperly induce fraud. This can invalidate charges.
- Unfair claims practices – Insurers sometimes wrongly deny legitimate claims. Fighting a wrongful denial is not necessarily fraudulent.
An experienced lawyer can also get charges dismissed due to technical errors or violations of your rights by investigators. The complexity of these cases allows for many defense options if handled strategically.
What to Do If You’re Under Investigation
If insurance fraud investigators contact you, take it very seriously and follow this advice:
- Be polite but say you won’t answer questions without your attorney present.
- Don’t panic and don’t admit to anything that could imply guilt.
- Contact our Jacksonville defense firm immediately so we can protect your rights.
- Follow our guidance about cooperating with investigators or providing documents.
Even if you believe you have nothing to hide, investigators can twist innocent mistakes into charges. So have experienced legal counsel deal with them on your behalf.
Why a Lawyer Is Crucial for These Cases
Resisting pressure from insurers and investigators requires expertise. Jacksonville defense attorneys have a deep understanding of:
- The elements prosecutors must prove for a conviction
- Fair claims standards and practices
- Common investigative tactics and how to counter them
- Negotiation strategies to get charges dropped or reduced
We’ve seen many inflated allegations deflated once we analyzed the true merits. With an attorney guiding your response, mild infractions often result in no charges. Whereas cooperating without counsel can turn innocent issues into full-blown cases.
Our Proven Jacksonville Defense Team
The attorneys in our firm have decades of combined experience specifically defending insurance fraud accusations in Jacksonville courts. We’ve secured dismissals, acquittals, and favorable plea deals for many clients facing these charges.
We know the local prosecutors and their typical strategies. We’ve exposed flawed or biased investigations that got charges thrown out. And we’ll devise custom negotiating tactics for your unique situation.
Contact our Jacksonville office for a free case evaluation. We’ll carefully assess your case, explain your rights, and discuss defense options. Our goal is keeping insurance allegations from ruining your finances, reputation, and freedom.