Honesty. Integrity. Fairness. Equality. These are a few words we think of when we think about our medical system, and the people who are a part of it. We like to assume that every medical professional will always treat any American, regardless of sexuality, race, religion, ethnicity, or financial status. As fitting for the American Dream as this all sounds, it’s not always true. Unfortunately, medical bias and fraudulence are more common than you’d expect. 

The occasional medical “expert” may have fraudulent credentials. While not completely fraudulent, more than a few of these people embellish their qualifications. Beyond embellishment, what are some red flags for false medical experts? Here are a few to lookout for. 

#1: Medical “Experts” Who Never Treat Patients

These “experts” rarely treat patients. While a few of these so-called medical experts treat a small number of patients, many do not. Instead, they make their living off of handing out medical opinions to people who pay them. 

#2: “Experts” Who Use Cookie-Cutter Reports

What do we mean by “cookie-cutter” reports? It means that reports from these people generally all look the same. What you need to know is that these insurance “experts” rarely make a concrete statement. Instead, their goal is to cast a shadow over the person. Their tools of choice? Malingering, exaggerating, and inconsistent reporting. 

#3: One-Sided “Experts”

This medical expert saw hundreds of people, but despite their differing cases, they were all malingering from his or her perspective. This “perspective” is all too familiar. The typical scenario goes like this: A medical expert started their career as a legitimate professional associated with a medical hospital. They were well-versed in the field of medicine, and were licensed to diagnose and treat certain ailments. Somewhere along the way, they left the field and developed their own medical practice. Only this time, instead of working with other medical professionals, they teamed up with an insurance company. Now, suddenly, all of their medical reports include malingering, exaggerating patients. 

When this specific “expert” was cross-examined, the reports before their leaving the field were authentic, and honest. Now, the reports reek of untrustworthiness. 

#4: “Experts” Who Depend on Insurance Companies

When a medical expert claims to be a doctor but lines his or her pockets with income from insurance companies, it’s a problem. Does anyone actually believe this expert will be fair in their case? 

If these experts make their livelihoods on generating medical reports for insurance companies, you can almost guarantee they will not treat your case with integrity.

Biased Medical Experts Are a Real Issue

When you work with a biased medical expert, the odds really are stacked against your case. Biased experts are a real issue in personal injury cases, and working against an insurance company that wants to cast a shadow of doubt on your case is not an easy obstacle to overcome. 

So, what can you do in accident cases? First, you need to ask yourself two questions:

Why are you submitting an evaluation by a potentially biased medical expert?

Why would you accept the insurance company expert’s opinions?

Before you submit any reports to a defense expert, you need to discuss your personal injury case with a trusted, skilled attorney. Attorneys are trained to spot fraudulent activity, and their primary goal is to help you win your case. If you choose to submit documents to a fraudulent medical expert, there’s a slim chance you will win your case. 

Additionally, the insurance company will use its biased expert for two reasons. The first and most obvious reason is to defeat your claim at trial. Since most personal injury cases settle, this is the most common reason. The second reason is to negotiate down any potential settlement. A skilled attorney can study the expert’s opinions, advise you concerning their impact, and help to prepare you to fight them in court.

Justice for Some is Not Justice for All

As Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” We should never tolerate false experts who prey upon the suffering of others. At Wettermark Keith, we are strong believers in justice. We believe, as trusted medical malpractice lawyers, it is our duty to maintain our commitment to justice and serving the people whose lives are before the court. 

Call Wettermark Keith today.