Dallas, Texas Injury Law Firm Pleads Guilty in Staged Accident Scheme
An amazing story of greed in my profession came to surface yesterday. Trey Allen, P.C., a Dallas law firm, has pled guilty to a federal conspiracy charge relating to its role in a broad scheme to defraud insurance companies. The employees of the firm were somehow enticing individuals to stage car accidents. Then the firm would send theses supposedly injured clients to chiropractors, who would forge medical records and bills. After “treatment,” the firm would present their fake clients’ claim to the insurance company of the party who supposedly caused the collision. After the claim was resolved, the chiropractor would get paid, the “hurt” individual would get paid and the law firm would get their share. Then the chiropractor would “kick-back” some of his or her profits to the firm’s legal assistants who spear-headed the scheme.
This fraudulent scheme started back in 2000 and continued through 2007. It is absolutely unbelievable that this firm and these chiropractors got away with it—and for so long! The chiropractors including one in Arlington, Texas and one in Haltom City, Texas are now under indictment. So far, 27 people have pled guilty to fraud in this matter.
Click here to view the “Factual Resume” filed in the federal court case. This document contains the details of the offense of conviction.
I am disgusted by this conduct. My profession, especially those like myself who are dedicated to helping injured individuals, faces a huge public relations battle every day against our main foe: the big insurance companies. This type of illegal conduct makes all injury lawyers look horribly sleazy, not to mention, it gives the insurance companies ammunition in the PR battle. I believe this ends up hurting our profession and, as a result, the value of our clients' claims. But just as there are bad cops, bad doctors—even bad priests, there are ultimately bad lawyers. I just hate to see it.
