| Abstract: | This study analyzes auto personal injury claims across the statesto estimate the frequency of claims for nonexistent or preexistinginjuries. We develop a series of hypotheses regarding the specificclaiming patterns that would signal the presence of excess claims.We draw on a nationally representative sample of auto-accidentinjury claims closed during 1987 to test these hypotheses. Theresults strongly support the hypotheses. We conclude that approximately42% of reported soft-injury claims in the dollar-threshold andtort states are for nonexistent or preexisting injuries. |
