San Pedro Insurance Fraud Defense Attorneys

Did you receive a phone call from an investigator questioning your insurance claim? It could be a car accident, a workers’ compensation claim, or property damage you filed months ago. Suddenly, words like “fraud” and “criminal charges” are being thrown around, and you’re facing the terrifying possibility of felony convictions, massive fines, and years in prison.

Insurance companies investigate thousands of claims every year, often targeting honest policyholders who simply tried to recover what they were owed. If you’re going through this now, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

The Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates has defended San Pedro residents against sophisticated insurance fraud allegations for over 30 years. We understand how these investigations develop, know how to challenge evidence collection methods, and have the experience to expose flaws in prosecution theories based on incomplete or biased investigations. Learn more about our firm.

Our main office is at 100 Oceangate #525, Long Beach, CA, 90802, located in the business district. Many San Pedro residents facing complex fraud allegations can reach our office in just 10 minutes via I-710, ensuring access to attorneys who understand both insurance practices and criminal defense. Call us today at 562-216-2944 or fill out our confidential contact form.

Recent Review:

“A few years ago, my fiancé was involved in a situation where we needed legal advice and representation. We were referred to Mr. Perry by a close friend. I recall calling Robin Perry on a Saturday morning, I left a voice voicemail, and within minutes he called and talked with us for over an hour. During the conversation he listened to our concerns and addressed each one of them. I’m truly thankful for the personal support Robin Perry gave us, and I’m pretty sure if we didn’t have him we would be singing a different tune. Thank you Mr. Perry your hard work is greatly appreciated!!!”

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What Is Insurance Fraud in California?

Insurance fraud is not always about grand schemes. It’s often a misunderstanding or an honest mistake that gets blown out of proportion. In California, insurance fraud generally means someone knowingly lies or misleads an insurance company to get money or a benefit they don’t deserve.

It’s important to know that you don’t even have to successfully get the money for it to be considered fraud. Just trying to defraud the insurance company, even if they don’t lose any money, can be enough for charges.

Different Types of Insurance Fraud

Insurance fraud comes in many forms. Here are a few common types that people might get accused of in San Pedro:

• Auto Insurance Fraud: This is a big one. It could involve damaging your car on purpose to file a claim (California Penal Code 548 PC) or making false claims about what happened in an accident. Sometimes, people are accused of “staging” accidents or lying about pre-existing damage to get repairs paid for. Even referring someone to a repair shop that you know files fake claims can be a problem under California Penal Code 549 PC.
• Health Care Fraud: This often involves medical providers billing for services they didn’t provide, overcharging, or billing multiple times for the same treatment. Patients may also be accused of lying about injuries or medical conditions to obtain benefits.
• Workers’ Compensation Fraud: This happens when someone falsely claims a work injury or exaggerates how bad an injury is to get workers’ comp benefits. It can also involve an employee saying they can’t work when they are actually working somewhere else.
• Property Insurance Fraud: This could mean claiming damages to property that didn’t happen, or even intentionally damaging property to get an insurance payout. Contractor fraud, where a contractor works with a homeowner to inflate repair costs, also falls into this category.
• Application Fraud: Lying on an insurance application to get lower rates or better coverage is also considered fraud. For example, saying you live in a different area to get cheaper car insurance.

The key thing in all these scenarios is “intent to defraud.” This means the prosecutor has to show that you knowingly made a false statement or took an action to cheat the insurance company.

What Happens When You’re Accused?

When an insurance company suspects fraud, they don’t just sit there. They launch an investigation. They’ll look at your policy, accident reports, medical records, and pretty much anything else that could give them clues. They build their case, and often, you might not even know you’re being investigated until law enforcement comes knocking.

These investigations can feel overwhelming. State agencies, like the California Department of Insurance, have their own investigators and even special prosecutors who focus solely on these cases. They’re serious about cracking down on fraud.

If they believe they have enough evidence, you could be charged with a crime. This can be a felony, especially if the amount of money involved is high.

Our San Pedro Insurance Fraud Lawyers Can Find the Right Defense

Just because you’re accused doesn’t mean you’re guilty. There are strong defenses that a good attorney can explore for you. The prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you had the “intent to defraud.” If they can’t do that, their case falls apart.

Here are some common defenses that could apply to your situation:

• No Intent to Defraud: This is often the strongest defense. Maybe you made a mistake on a form, or you misunderstood a question. If you didn’t knowingly try to deceive anyone, then you didn’t commit insurance fraud.
• Lack of Knowledge of Falsity: You can’t be guilty of insurance fraud if you didn’t know the information you provided was false. Perhaps you were given bad information by someone else, and you believed it to be true.
• Accidental Submission: Imagine you were working on an insurance claim and accidentally hit “submit” before you were finished or had verified all the details. If you can show it was a genuine accident and not an intentional act to defraud, this could be a defense.
• Mistaken Identity: In some cases, someone else might have used your information or signed your name on fraudulent documents. If the prosecution can’t prove it was you who committed the fraud, this could be a viable defense.
• Ambiguous Statement: If what you said or wrote was truthful but could be misinterpreted by the insurance company or the prosecution, your attorney can argue that the statement was ambiguous and not intentionally false.
• Illegally Obtained Evidence: If law enforcement gathered evidence against you in a way that violated your rights, your attorney can file a motion to suppress that evidence. If the motion is successful, the charges against you might be dropped or reduced.

Contact Our San Pedro Insurance Fraud Defense Lawyers

If you’re facing insurance fraud accusations or charges, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed. But remember, you have a right to a strong defense, and you don’t have to do this by yourself. Our team in San Pedro understands the challenges you face and is ready to stand by you. We’ll listen to your story, explain your options, and work tirelessly to protect your rights and your future.

Call The Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates at 562-216-2944 or fill out a contact form right now for a free consultation.