Tree Tossing and You: How Things Can Go Wrong if You're Claiming to be Seriously Injured at the Time

 

Today's article draws from a story about a woman who won a personal injury lawsuit and then threw it away.

A woman in Ireland had a car crash in 2017. She claimed to have back and neck pains that made her unable to work for more than five (5) years following the accident. Reports indicate that she stated that she could not carry her children, finish basic chores, or lift a heavy bag and that, at times, she needed her medication to be brought to her in bed due to the pain. She filed a lawsuit and was eventually awarded $823,000.

The poor baby! Her life has been irrevocably changed by the accident. Or maybe not ...

In 2018, she decided to enter a tree-throwing competition in which competitors try to throw a 5-foot spruce tree farther than anyone else. And wouldn't you know it? She WON!

Of course she was photographed as part of the competition.

Days before the event, she reported constant pain in her spine, back and neck to her doctors.

Unsurprisingly, the insurance - and party responsible for the lawsuit payout - were suspicious about the woman's claims. A simple google search turned up the picture of the woman winning the competition. Further investigation led to a video that showed her in a park with a dalmatian for about 90 minutes.

After being shown the evidence against her, the presiding judge reportedly stated: "It is a very large, natural Christmas tree, and it is being thrown by her in a very agile movement. I'm afraid I cannot but conclude the claims were entirely exaggerated."

Side note: I would not want to be this woman, especially with possible criminal charges and, not to be outdone, potential claims from the law firm that represented her in the case.

Private Investigators can Help

Yep, we do investigations like this all the time. We are no longer shocked at what we document people do. I'm going to refrain from commenting on specific investigations, but suffice it to say that the fictitious claims presented here - while unusual in its evidence - are totally common in the world of personal injury.

Reach out to us if you have needs. We can help.

 

This article originally appeared on Linkedin.