The WC (workers compensation) insurance system is a no-fault method of paying workers for medical expenses and wage losses due to on-the-job injuries. If you have a WC claim visit Ratto Law Firm, P.C., and let them help you settle any WC claims. While the majority of WC claims are truthful, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reports that billions of dollars of false claims are submitted each year. If you are a truck driver in AZ make sure to check the Arizona Seat Belt Law. To help you detect possible WC fraud, experience shows a claim may be fraudulent if two or more of the following factors are present:
1. Monday Morning
The alleged injury occurs either first thing Monday morning or late on a Friday afternoon but is not reported until Monday.
2. Employment Change
The reported accident occurs immediately before or after a strike, a layoff, the end of a big project, or at the conclusion of seasonal work.
3. Job Termination
If an employee files a post-termination claim:
- Was the alleged injury reported by the employee prior to termination?
- Did the employee exhaust his/her unemployment benefits prior to claiming workers’ compensation benefits?
4. History of Changes
The claimant has a history of frequently changing physicians, addresses, and places of employment.
5. Medical History
The employee has a pre-existing medical condition that is similar to the alleged work injury.
6. No Witnesses
The accident has no witnesses, and the employee’s own description does not logically support the cause of injury.
7. Conflicting Descriptions
The employee’s description of the accident conflicts with the medical history or First Report of Injury.
8. History of Claims
The claimant has a history of numerous suspicious or litigated claims.
9. Treatment is Refused
The claimant refuses a diagnostic procedure to confirm the nature or extent of an injury.
10. Late Reporting
The employee delays reporting the claim without a reasonable explanation.
11. Hard to Reach
You have difficulty contacting a claimant at home, when he/she is allegedly disabled.
12. Moonlighting
Does the employee have another paying job or do volunteer work?
13. Unusual Coincidence
There is an unusual coincidence between the employee’s alleged date of injury and his/her need for personal time off.
14. Financial Problems
The employee has tried to borrow money from co-workers or the company, or requested pay advances.
15. Hobbies
The employee has a hobby that could cause an injury similar to the alleged work injury.
References:
California Labor Law Posters | Labor Law Compliance Center
Babcock Partners, LLC
