@2024 Afarand., IRAN

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ISSN: 1027-1457    Scientific Journal of Forensic Medicine 2019;25(4):171-176

Background
In recent years, fictitious accidents have become a serious problem for the insurance and judiciary.
Previous Studies
Insurance fraud is a crime in many countries and if convicted, it is punishable by cash and imprisonment in addition to recovering fraudulent funds [1]. The prevalence of insurance fraud, especially in the property sector, causes many losses each year to insurance companies. Although no comprehensive study has been done on the extent of fraud in the Iranian insurance industry, unofficial statistics indicate paying several thousands of billion tomans annually to the fraudsters of the insurance companies. Unfortunately, despite the emergence of new fraudulent methods, many insurance companies have failed to take action to prevent and detect these types of frauds. In general, insurance frauds range from exaggerating an actual damage to claiming fictitious damages [2]. … [4-5].
Aim(s)
The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of traffic accidents in referrals to Bandar Abbas forensic medical center with detecting of fictitious injuries in the one year period from 2016 to 2017.
Research type
This research was a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Research society, place and time
In this study, 58 injured of traffic accidents referred to the forensic medicine department of Hormozgan province were investigated by submitting a letter of judicial authority from 2016 to 2017.
Sampling method and number

Used devices&materials
Cases were examined by one of the doctors in the center and after suspicion of fictitious injuries they were re-examined by another doctor in the center. Finally, considering the criteria, such as the pattern and location of minor injuries, the pattern and location of fractures, dental injuries and their pattern, history (time and place of accident, number of people present in accident), comparison of the injured people present in an accident, history of previous self-inflicted injuries and the social and personal status of the injured cases, the non-accidental injuries with personal satisfaction (in a fictitious accident) were identified for the subjects. After detection, a photograph was taken from the fictitious injuries and kept in a file. By examining the criminal records and report of the accident, variables, such as the interval between the time of the accident and the first referral to the forensic medicine, and variables related to the accident (time and place of accident, type of vehicle, number of people injured in the accident, mode of accident), calling the emergency and hospitalization, minimum amount of atonement of the fictitious injuries were recorded in the data collection form based on the values approved for the studied year. Finally, data were analyzed by Stata 12 statistical software. Also, the mean interval between the accident to the first referral to forensic medicine, the number of accident victims, and the amount of atonement in the two subgroups of fictitious accidents and actual accidents were compared by Mann-Whitney test.
Findings by Text
Of 58 referrals for road accidents to the Bandar Abbas Forensic Examination Unit identified as fictitious injuries in the one-year period from 2016 to 2017, an average of 2.55 ± 0.83 people (about 3 people) were injured in the accident. The minimum amount of atonement and Arsh determined by the forensic expert was 31.17±2.70 million tomans (16.35% of the complete atonement) based on the approved value of the studied years. The mean interval between the accident and the first referral to the forensic medicine was 13.49±5.00 days (about 14 days). Most of the accidents occurred between 00-3:59 and 8-23:59 am and the least number of accidents occurred between 8-11:59 am; therefore, it can be said that accidents at night and in the early hours of the morning were more common. The most affected vehicles were motorcycles and passenger cars, respectively. The most beater vehicle type was passenger car and in 20.70% of the cases there was no collision and the damage was caused by rollovers. The highest frequency of accidents had occurred in the roads within the city, inter-city roads, and the suburb roads. In most of the accidents, emergencies were present at the scene and the injured cases had been taken to the hospital (Table 1).There was no significant difference between the mean time of referral to forensic medicine, the number of accident victims, and the amount of atonement in the two subgroups of fictitious and actual accidents (p> 0.05; Table 2).
Main comparison to the similar studies
In the Panahpourian et al. study on fictitious accidents referring to Isfahan Forensic Medicine in the second quarter of 2016, 75% of the cases had referred in group (more than one person was involved) and 25% of the cases were reported by a person [6]. In the study by Assadinejad et al., the highest number of people in the vehicle was 2 people (27.8%) [7]. The results of these two studies are in line with the present study and indicate the presence of more than one person in most cases of fictitious accidents. The results of this study showed that the amount of atonement determined was 31.17±2.70 million tomans (16.35% of the complete atonement). Similar studies on fictitious accidents have not determined damages for insurance companies (atonement and Arsh). The head of the Central Insurance of Iran has announced the payment for fictitious damages for third-party and car insurance about 2000 billion tomans in 2017. … [9-12].
Suggestions
It is suggested to conduct relevant coordinated studies on fictitious accidents (with larger sample size) in forensic medicine organizations in Iran.
Limitations
The bias in detection of fictitious damages and difficulties to access criminal records were limitations in conducting research.
Conclusions
The mean interval between the events until the first referral to forensic medicine is about 14 days. Most accidents happen in the early hours of the morning. The highest frequency of injuries vehicle is related to motorcycles and the most frequent of beater vehicle is car. Most of accidents occurred on the routes within the city. The judicial sentence in half of the cases has been in line with the forensic expert theory (fictitious accident).
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank and appreciate all the individuals and organizations involved in this research.
Conflict of interest
None.
Ethical Permissions
This research was approved with the approval code of ID IR.LMO.REC.1397.97.
Funding Sources
This research was funded by Vice chancellor for research of the Forensic Medicine Organization of Iran.

TABLES and CHARTS

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