When Workers Commit Fraud

Workers’ compensation fraud is sometimes viewed as a victimless crime; people who commit this offense rationalize by saying that insurance companies have plenty of money, so no one is suffering from their actions. However, the truth is that workers’ compensation fraud affects all of us. For example, it makes it much harder for employees with legitimate injuries to receive the assistance they need, due to decreased budgets and increased suspicions among workers’ comp administrators.

If you have been accused of committing this common form of fraud, you have a lot at stake. Being found guilty of fraud can cost you your job, benefits, and even your freedom. For knowledgeable and dedicated legal defense, call the New Jersey workers’ compensation lawyers of Levinson Axelrod, P.A. at 800-346-5529.

Examples of Workers’ Compensation Fraud

Workers can defraud their employers and insurance providers in several ways, including:

• Malingering. This is the act of continuing to act sick or injured even after you have recovered. Some people will do this in order to continue receiving benefits or time off work despite the fact that they are perfectly capable of returning to their jobs.
• Creating or exaggerating injuries. Similar to malingering, some workers will exaggerate the symptoms of their injuries, or even create injuries out of thin air in order to receive workers’ compensation payments. This often requires the assistance of a dishonest healthcare provider, although not always.
• Providing false information to an employer or workers’ compensation insurance provider. For example, an employee may be receiving income from a second job while drawing unemployment benefits from his or her first job. Another common example is failure to disclose illness or old injuries that existed before the workplace accident occurred in order to receive benefits for them.

These are serious allegations that should never be taken lightly. If you have been accused of an offense like these, a New Jersey workers’ compensation attorney from our firm can work efficiently and aggressively to protect your rights and reputation.

Contact Us

Workers’ compensation fraud is a serious issue; unfortunately, some employers and investigators become overzealous in their attempts to fight it. For experienced and committed legal representation, contact the New Jersey workers’ comp fraud defense lawyers of Levinson Axelrod, P.A. at 800-346-5529.