Worker’s compensation is important to protect employees of any company. It offers medical support that is hard to afford all by yourself. Also, based on the worker’s compensation policy, you might get coverage for any loss incurred inside the office premises. But often, people try to take unfair advantage of this opportunity, which can be referred to as fraud.
Types of Worker’s Compensation Fraud
Though most worker’s compensation claims are valid, some cases are fraudulent. Here are the most common worker’s compensation frauds.
Misclassification of Workers
One of the most common frauds is the intentional misclassification of workers. Since an employer must carry worker’s compensation for every employee, some companies file employees as independent contractors. This allows them to avoid providing worker’s compensation to independent contractors, which saves their money.
Exaggerated Injuries
Some employees who suffer from work-related injuries try to exaggerate their problems. In many cases, an employee even lies about suffering from an injury to claim compensation. In such situations, it’s difficult to predict whether a person is telling the truth or not.
But many people are caught posting their holiday pictures on Facebook while taking leaves from the office due to injury. If this happens, employees must pay penalties and fees. They may also face criminal charges.
Different Causes of the Injury
Many workers who want to benefit from worker’s compensation also lie about the cause of injury. For instance, they may have suffered from an injury outside the workspace premises but claimed that it happened inside the office. Employers must carefully investigate the situation to ensure whether the employee is telling the truth or not.
Wrong Medical Bills
Though it’s not that common, it has happened to many people. Medical providers try to create higher medical bills and include services that they didn’t even offer an employee. They do this to get more money from insurance companies. If the employee doesn’t check the bill after getting the treatment, it becomes difficult to prevent medical facilities from practicing this.
Other Worker’s Compensation Frauds
Besides the types of fraud mentioned above, some others are much more complex and hard to identify. The creation of shell corporations and the payment of kickbacks is one of the most common problems. If insurance companies catch up on these discrepancies, it can result in significant penalties and legal actions.
What Should You Do Next?
Attorney Wayne Resmini can help you prevent paying for wrongful claims. We can help you assess claims so you can make an informed decision.
