Following an increase in bodily injury claims, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has warned its riders that cameras are being installed on MBTA buses and trains to ward off fake claims.
Surveillance cameras on MBTA buses and trains are being used to separate people attempting to cash in on fake claims from genuinely injured passengers.
The number of injury claims has increased since 2007, said Joe Pesaturo, the MBTA spokesman.
In 2007, 855 injury claims were filed which cost the MBTA about $2 million in payouts, Pesaturo said.
Two years later, those numbers rose sharply with 952 injury claims filed by MBTA passengers in 2009, resulting in nearly $3 million in payouts, the spokesman said.
“That is an average payout of less than $3,000 per bodily injury,” he said.
Unfortunately for taxpayers, there are suspicions that some of the claims were fraudulent.
It has been reported that up to 10 percent of the claims in 2009 might be fake.
Officials said they will be pulling surveillance tapes from buses and trains to determine whether a claim is valid or not.
The cameras used by the MBTA uses were originally intended to curb crime. Currently there are 3,800 surveillance cameras in use in buses, trains and stations throughout Boston, and the MBTA plans to add more, said Pesaturo.
Buses will be among those outfitted with the additional cameras.
“The vast majority of claims come from bus riders,” Pesaturo said.
As of yet, no claims have been filed in 2011.
“The T has not received any claims stemming from accidents that have occurred this year,” said Pesaturo.
However, cameras did record a number of scams on buses late last year.
In a surveillance video on WHDH 7 Boston’s website, riders on a Route 28 bus appeared to be fine after the bus swerved to avoid an accident. Suddenly, however, the passengers dropped to the floor laughing, pretending to be injured.
Another surveillance video showed riders on a Route 44 bus endure a slight jolt. One woman on the bus needed the attention of paramedics, who put her in a neck brace. Yet, the woman continued to text despite her injury.
Examples like these make surveillance cameras on buses and train a worthwhile investment said College of Arts and Sciences freshman Becky Fanion.
“If people are faking accidents that makes the taxpayers’ hard-earned money go to the costs of frivolous lawsuits, then of course the MBTA should add cameras,” Fanion said. “Perhaps the addition of these cameras will cost more in the short run, but in the long run, I think they will help immensely if they can prevent frivolous lawsuits.”
Other students said they believe the extra cameras are unnecessary.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea overall because you will get the people that will still be lying and the camera wouldn’t catch it,” said Heena Lee, a freshman in the School of Management.
Yet, additional cameras may be able to save the MBTA from expensive lawsuits.
“If the MBTA can prove right away that the accident never happened, then that saves them from having to go to court,” Fanion said.
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