Summerville Insurance Fraud Lawyer

Are you accused of stealing money from an insurance company, filing a fraudulent claim, or other type of offense against an insurance company? If so, you likely face serious charges of insurance fraud. When this is the case, a strong defense is necessary to protect your constitutional rights. Many of these cases are based on bad information, misunderstandings, or thin evidence. With the right legal assistance, you can present a defense to the prosecutor’s case.

An experienced Summerville insurance fraud attorney knows how to build you a defense and fight the charges against you. You are not alone in this.

Understanding Insurance Fraud Charges

A broad definition of insurance fraud is any time a person utilizes fraud or deception in order to obtain money from an insurance company they do not properly deserve. This can occur in many different ways, such as filing a completely false claim in order to obtain money, or by filing for damages that exceed the actual losses following a real incident.

In either case, state prosecutors take these crimes very seriously. Fraud claims are vigorously pursued by prosecutors, so it is important that every defendant defend their case just as vigorously.

Examples of Insurance Fraud

Many different situations may lead to a charge of insurance fraud against a defendant. The following illustrate the types of conduct that may result in insurance fraud charges:

• Underreporting miles driven on a vehicle or other vehicle details
• Exaggerating property damage or physical injury to increase insurance payout
• Failure to accurately report medical history
• Exaggerating the number of items damaged in a fire
• Designing a completely false injury or incident in order to obtain insurance compensation

No matter the type of insurance fraud allegations a defendant faces, they deserve a competent attorney who knows how to defend against insurance fraud charges.

Penalties for Insurance Fraud

Under South Carolina law, the penalties for insurance fraud depend greatly on the amount of money allegedly taken through fraudulent means, and whether this is a first or subsequent offense.

For a first offense, the penalty depends on the amount of money taken as part of the scheme. For a first offense, the following outlines the potential penalties a defendant may face:

• Less than $1,000: $100-$500 fine with a maximum of thirty days in jail
• $1,000-$10,000: $2,000-$10,000 fine with up to three years in prison
• $10,000-$50,000: $10,000-$50,000 fine and up to five years in prison
• $50,000 or more: $20,000-$100,000 and up to ten years in prison

If a person is convicted of a second or subsequent insurance fraud offense, the amount no longer matters. In every case, the defendant could face from $20,000 to $100,000 fine and up to ten years in prison.

Should I Hire an Attorney to Defend My Case?

Some defendants wonder if they should simply represent themselves in their criminal case. This is never a good idea. Self-represented defendants are expected to follow the law, the rules of evidence, and the rules of procedure as if they were fully trained lawyers. This is not a reasonable expectation.

Insurance fraud cases are incredibly complex. A proper defense is best suited to an experienced lawyer.

Defend Your Case with the Help of an Insurance Fraud Attorney in Summerville

An appropriate legal defense can make all the difference in what types of penalties you may face. You should not be the victim of an overzealous prosecutor or one who does not have the proof to convict.

An experienced Summerville insurance fraud lawyer is prepared to build a defense for you. Contact us today.