Increasing numbers of personal injury lawyers are contacting GPs offering to buy patient details.
A survey of over 2,000 GPs found over half (53%) had been contacted directly by claims management firms on the hunt for patient details in exchange for cash in the past 12 months.
One in five GPs reported being contacted by such companies at least once a week.
The research also found there has been a rise in the number of patients believed to be exaggerating injuries in an attempt to make a false compensation claim during the past two years.
Almost all (96%) GPs surveyed said they had seen a patient fake an injury in their career.
“Attempted fraudulent personal injury claims waste time and money,” said John O’Roarke, Managing Director of LV Car Insurance – who carried out the research.
“GPs have increasingly large workloads and should not have to deal with fraudsters attempting to make a fast buck at the expense of law abiding motorists.”
It is estimated that 29,000 GP hours are taken up by false personal injury claims.
Are you frequently contacted by personal claims companies? Your comments (terms and conditions apply):
“Not frequently but then I have told those that did not to ring back and that no one else from their organisation is to ring either. I really am not going to give that information and have no time to speak to them. My calls are screened by receptionists in first instance” – Name and address withheld
