A “Toolbox” for Forensic Engineers

Fraudulent Insurance Claims 359
Figure 11.6 Road plan showing alleged positions of three cars in collision.
car somersault at least once, but saw it had landed on its wheels so he ran
over and released the driver from his seat belt. The driver was dazed, but able
to walk. The driver of car B said he realized another vehicle was approaching
because he could see its headlights, but he could do nothing to warn the
oncoming car as he was sideways on to it. After the collision he telephoned
for his daughter to come out in her car and she drove all three to their
respective homes. Her husband was in the motor repair business and he went
out with a recovery vehicle and took the three damaged cars to his premises,
where they were later classified as “beyond economic repair” by all three
insurance companies. Since no one was injured the police were not informed.
A staff engineer for the insurers of car C inspected the damage 4 days
after the accident. His suspicions were aroused so he visited the scene but
could find no marks on the road or the soft verges, nor could he find any
debris such as broken glass or plastic. However, a claims inspector for the
insurers of car A visited the scene 3 weeks later and found several pieces of
headlight glass and the entire rear bumper and light cluster from car B,
conspicuously present on the grass verge.