¿Qué es RICO y por qué los abogados de PI están siendo perseguidos?
What is RICO and Why are Pl Lawyers being Targeted?
La Ley RICO, o Ley de Organizaciones Corruptas e Influenciadas por el Crimen Organizado, se creó originalmente para combatir a las empresas criminales que participan en un patrón de crimen organizado, es decir, actividades ilegales con el fin de obtener ganancias. Actualmente, existe una tendencia a perseguir a bufetes de abogados especializados en lesiones personales y proveedores de atención médica por supuestamente inflar los gastos médicos y presentar reclamaciones por lesiones falsas o exageradas.
El gigante de los viajes compartidos Uber abrió la puerta a demandas civiles bajo la ley RICO, al demandar a dos importantes bufetes de abogados de Los Ángeles: Downtown LA Law Group LLP y The Law Offices of Jacob Emrani. La demanda acusa a los demandantes de operar un esquema fraudulento para inflar las facturas médicas de los clientes lesionados en accidentes de Uber. Esta demanda puede suponer un cambio fundamental en la forma en que se litigan estos casos, además de una clara ventaja para las empresas de viajes compartidos al enfrentarse a demandas por lesiones o fallecimiento.
En una demanda de 61 páginas ante el Tribunal de Distrito de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito Este de Nueva York, Uber Technologies, Inc. afirma que varios bufetes de abogados y proveedores de servicios médicos participan en una operación fraudulenta para inflar las indemnizaciones en demandas por accidentes de tráfico. Se acusa a los demandados de falsificar informes de accidentes, sobornar a médicos, exagerar las lesiones y complicaciones, y exigir indemnizaciones por tratamientos innecesarios, como cirugías. Según Uber, esta conducta viola la Ley de Organizaciones Corruptas e Influenciadas por el Crimen Organizado (RICO) y las leyes federales contra el fraude electrónico y postal.
¿Qué significa esta demanda para las víctimas de accidentes?
La reciente demanda de Uber involucra un asunto legal complejo del que la mayoría de la gente solo ha oído hablar en películas, filmes o documentales sobre mafiosos y tráfico de drogas. Y si una gran corporación presenta demandas por extorsión contra un grupo de bufetes de abogados, ¿qué tiene que ver eso con el cliente promedio de viajes compartidos?
First, it’s important to understand that Uber is not just talking about a handful of inflated hospital bills and related monetary damages. Essentially, the company is alleging that there is a systemic, intentional, and organized scheme among personal injury lawyers to defraud major corporations. If this lawsuit is resolved favorably, accident injury attorneys may need to come up with RICO defense strategies to deal with the onslaught of lawsuits from private and public entities. Lawyers may also need to reevaluate their relationships with medical providers and healthcare facilities. In addition, they may have to change how they negotiate a settlement on behalf of injury victims and their loved ones.
At the end of the day, Uber’s lawsuit is a form of retaliation against personal injury lawyers, and more specifically, against law firms with a demonstrated history of high settlements for those who were injured in Uber accidents. On a deeper level, it’s a direct attack on the riders who keep the company’s profits soaring, year after year. Instead of doing right by the victims and ensuring they have adequate funds to recover after an accident, the company would rather accuse them of being greedy and unreasonable. Basically, the lawsuit is a back-handed, roundabout way of hurting customers by going after the lawyers who are fighting for them.
Detalles clave sobre la demanda RICO de Uber
En esta sección profundizaremos más en las acusaciones realizadas por Uber en su denuncia legal, Uber Techs., Inc. contra Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, Caso No. 1:25-cv-00522 (EDNY presentado el 30 de enero de 2025).
La compañía de viajes compartidos afirma que los demandantes de seguros de Uber fueron instruidos por ciertos bufetes de abogados para que acudieran a proveedores médicos específicos. Estos médicos realizaron cirugías innecesarias para inflar los gastos médicos y otras formas de compensación con el fin de aumentar el valor de las indemnizaciones. Uber continúa afirmando que los procedimientos quirúrgicos fueron preacordados entre abogados y médicos a cambio de sobornos para el proveedor médico.
En lawsuit also accuses personal injury lawyers of asking clients to sign blank accident reports. Afterwards, they fill out the report with false information to justify claims of severe injuries that require surgery and other invasive procedures. Another allegation has to do with kickbacks to doctors, i.e., bribery for medical reports and testimony that are favorable to the claimant. Such conduct would be in violation of California’s Penal Code § 137(a) on giving false evidence and California Bus. & Prof. Code § 6152 for unlawful solicitation.
La demanda de Uber perjudica a las víctimas de accidentes
While the lawsuit was filed in New York, the legal implications extend to all personal injury law firms in the U.S., including the two firms that Uber has singled out in California – Jacob Emrani and DTLA Law Group. The future of personal injury claims and corporate defense strategies will be heavily impacted by the result of this lawsuit. As a result, accident injury claims may be subjected to greater scrutiny of medical records and testimony by healthcare professionals.
Additionally, other corporations may be encouraged to file RICO-based lawsuits against lawyers and doctors. Of course, the increased litigation hurts personal injury attorneys and law firms, but the biggest impact is actually on the client, who is simply trying to get the compensation they need and deserve after being in a car accident.
With skilled representation from an Uber accident attorney, most clients are able to settle their case and receive the full range of compensation they are entitled to. But if this recent lawsuit is resolved favorably, there’s no doubt that Uber will fight claims more aggressively. That means prolonged and expensive litigation for the accident victim, who is just looking to move on with their life.
In a legal sense, Uber’s lawsuit is a critical moment in the field of personal injury law, and we as attorneys must prepare for increased scrutiny of insurance claims and medical records. Our law firm is ready to meet the challenges of RICO cases against personal injury law firms, and we will not back down in our fight against corporate greed and retaliation. This fight isn’t just about us and our profession; it’s about the people who are injured or lose a loved one because of someone else’s negligence. Our goal has always been and always will be to secure the maximum payment you deserve by law, even if it means going head to head with Uber and other major corporations.
