Insurance Surveillance & Car Accident Cases: Prying Eyes Can Sink Auto Accident Claims

You’ve been hurt in a traffic accident. And while the damage to your vehicle may be substantial, the injuries you are left with may be far worse. As you get on the path to recovery, filing an auto accident claim will typically be among the first steps in your pursuit of compensation.

And when this happens, there is a distinct possibility that the insurance company (or companies) may surveil you to:

• Attempt to verify the extent of your injuries
• Try to catch you doing anything that they may be able to use against you later to reduce (or potentially deny) your claim.

Given this, here’s what traffic accident survivors need to know about insurance company surveillance tactics and how to avoid unnecessary complications with their claims.

When Insurer Surveillance Commonly Starts

Once an auto accident claim is filed with an insurance company, surveillance can occur AT ANY POINT after this report has been made. In general, however, insurance companies tend to start surveilling crash victims when the victims’ exact location will be known. Consequently, this type of surveillance is commonly kicked off following:

• Meetings victims have with insurers
• Doctors’ appointments that insurers are aware of (or have specifically set up for victims)
• Depositions.

While surveillance can include videotaping or photographing victims in possibly compromising situations, it can also involve:

• Monitoring claimants’ online activities
• Following claimants around for days (usually three or so days to get a feel for claimants’ patterns or habits)
• Setting up cameras outside of claimants homes (without the need to have an investigator present for the stint of surveillance)
• Multiple stints of surveillance – In other words, insurers can (and commonly do) conduct multiple periods of surveillance, especially when claims involve more severe injuries (i.e., higher value claims).

Being Watched? Helpful Tips for Auto Accident Claimants

If you have filed or are preparing to file an auto accident claim following a traffic collision, here’s what is important to remember about insurance company surveillance as your claim proceeds:

1. Do not assume the investigation of your claim is over just because you have been the subject of surveillance once.
2. If you get the feeling you’re being watched, stalked, or videotaped, be especially cautious about your actions, and do NOT do anything that violates doctors’ orders (regarding limited physical activity, etc.).
3. Avoid discussing your accident and injuries on social media, and consider changing your privacy settings.

Contact a Littleton Car Accident Lawyer at Littleton Lawyers™

If you have been injured in an auto crash – or in any type of traffic collision, contact a trusted Littleton car accident lawyer at Littleton Lawyers™ for experienced help pursuing justice and financial recovery.

For more than three decades, our attorneys have been fighting on behalf of injured people while working tirelessly to help them maximize their financial recoveries following traffic crashes.

To find out more about your potential case and how we can help you, call us at (303) 794-7422 or email us using the contact form on this page.