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There may be some people who do try to manipulate the compensation process. They may withhold information or deny a past history of previous accidents. In fact, a recent study from Stanford University showed that more than two-thirds of the patients with neck and/or back pain from a car accident hid such information.
But social scientists suggest that there may not be a desire to deceive as much as other factors at work. For example, there may be the worry of losing driving privileges if it's found out that this wasn't the first accident. Or there may be an undisclosed problem with alcohol or other drugs. The person may be afraid of exposure.
It's also the case that people with serious psychologic problems don't always have the emotional maturity or ability to admit to fault in situations like this. They have fewer social skills needed to deal with the financial problems that occur. Traffic fines and increases in insurance rates are just two examples of the fall-out they may have to cope with.
Sometimes people who have a lawyer representing them are just following the advise of their legal counselor. If you have concerns about your brother's use and abuse of substances, it may be worth finding out more about how to do an intervention. An intervention is an attempt to "get help" for someone with an addiction or other problem.
It's a well-known fact that people with a history of substance use have an increased risk of another accident. This is especially true for those who have a previous history of motor vehicle accidents. Intervening now could save your brother from another accident and more serious (even fatal) injuries.
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