You’ve always been a hard worker, and you’ve never taken a dollar you weren’t due — so you’re shocked to find out that your workers’ compensation claim is being questioned.
In fact, your employer is now suggesting that maybe you aren’t really quite as injured as you claim, or that the injury may have occurred somewhere else while you were doing something other than work.
What gives? Your case may have too many “red flags” that make it seem like you’re making an invalid claim.
What makes a workers’ compensation claim look fraudulent?
Frankly, just about every excuse in the book can be used to say that your claim is “suspicious,” but here are some common issues:
- You were hurt on a Monday morning or Friday afternoon. If you were hurt late on Friday, you probably didn’t have time to notify your employer until Monday morning, and any report of an injury early on a Monday may make your boss think you got hurt over the weekend.
- You’re anxious over your claim and payment. How unfair is that? Naturally, you’re concerned about getting the medical care you need and the replacement wages you’re due so that you can keep the bills paid — but your boss may decide that you’re asking too many questions, too soon.
- There were no witnesses and you can’t exactly remember what happened. Say, for example, you slipped on something and hit your head. Nobody saw you fall — although they did see you lying on the ground. You can’t recall exactly how you fell, which isn’t really surprising with a head injury — but your boss thinks that’s a sign you’re faking.
Workers’ compensation fraud investigations are often misdirected. They frequently target “the little guy” instead of the companies that engage in widespread fraud by misclassifying their workers or those that pressure workers into not filing legitimate claims. If you’re having trouble getting the workers’ comp benefits you are due, it may be time to look at your legal options.