Home / Crime and Justice / Lawyers, Doctors, Funders: The $7-Figure Case Secret
Lawyers, Doctors, Funders: The $7-Figure Case Secret
2 Jun
Summary
- Victims are treated as commodities in a scheme to inflate medical costs.
- Outside funders profit by buying inflated medical bills at a discount.
- Legal reforms aim to bring transparency to Georgia's lucrative lawsuit market.
A complex scheme in Georgia's car wreck lawsuit market allegedly turns victims into commodities for profit. Attorneys allegedly direct clients to specific doctors who then inflate medical bills for higher lawsuit payouts. Outside funders often unknown to the victim purchase these inflated bills at a discount.
These funders, along with doctors and lawyers, allegedly collude to maximize profits, sometimes hiding their dealings from insurers. Investigations reveal some doctors keep two sets of books, one for actual costs and another for court presentations. This practice is said to drive up insurance premiums significantly.
Legal reforms enacted in Georgia aim to shed light on these practices, empowering defendants to demand transparency. Previously, plaintiffs could dismiss cases easily, but new measures allow judges to keep them open for investigation. This has led to increased scrutiny of funding arrangements and medical billing practices.
Victims like Glenda Ochoa have found themselves defendants in collection suits by doctors after signing contracts in English, despite being Spanish-speaking. She settled her case for $100,000, dismissing her own lawsuit to avoid further investigation into the alleged scheme.
