A workers’ compensation investigation is carried out when there is a question about the validity of a claim that has been filed by an individual. In Louisiana, workers’ compensation fraud private investigators are hired to assure that the person who filed the claim has not exaggerated injuries or even lied about them in an effort to take advantage of workers’ compensation benefits.
Employees can exaggerate their injuries or the severity of their injuries to gain more paid time off of work. Workers’ compensation investigations professionals also cite these other common examples of workers compensation fraud:
- An employee may claim to have been injured at work, but was actually injured somewhere else. When they file a workers’ compensation claim, the employer’s insurance policy will cover the expenses associated with the injury, including medical bills and cost of living expenses.
- An employee could claim to be too injured to return to work, but is actively participating in other activities that require physical stamina, or working for someone else off the books while also earning income from the workers’ compensation claim.
- An employee may state that they cannot yet return to work, or are too disabled to work, while actually having accepted employment elsewhere, either on or off the books, thereby earning two incomes; one from the new employer, and one from the fraudulent workers’ compensation claim.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau estimates workers’ compensation insurance fraud costs insurance providers more than $5 billion a year.
When Should A Workers’ Compensation Fraud Private Investigator Be Hired?
Business owners in Louisiana have hired our workers’ compensation fraud investigators when they have become suspicious of an employee’s claim and want to certify the validity of the claim. At Top Echelon Investigation, we’ve also been hired by insurance agents and adjusters to authenticate and corroborate the workers’ compensation claims filed by individuals.
Some red flags that may signal the need for the services of a Louisiana workers’ compensation fraud private investigator include:
- A lapse in time between when the injury occurred and when it was reported.
- There are no witnesses to the cited occurrence which caused the injury.
- The employee has been recently reprimanded at work, or had their hours cut.
- The claimant doesn’t receive immediate medical attention for the injury.
- The claimant misses scheduled doctor or therapy appointments.
- There is a claim of emotional injury, soft-tissue injury or other subjective injury that is difficult to verify.
Contact Top Echelon Investigation today to discuss a customized investigative strategy to confirm that you are not paying on a fraudulent workers’ compensation claim.
Workers’ Compensation Fraud Investigators: How Do They Discover The Truth?
TEI’s workers’ compensation fraud investigators in Louisiana utilize a host of techniques within the investigative field to determine if there has been a fraudulent claim filed, including:
Surveillance: Our expert technicians are highly adept with state of the art camera, audio, video and other surveillance methods to assure that the claimant is genuinely injured and unable to work.
Interviews and Research: The workers’ compensation fraud investigators at Top Echelon Investigation, LLC have proven experience and expertise conducting witness interviews, employer and co-worker interviews, as well as interviewing friends and family to assess how extensive the injuries are. We also provide case research as it pertains to the claim, including accident scene research.
Background and Investigative Checks: A review of a claimant’s background can determine whether the employee has previously filed numerous workers’ compensation claims or if they or their family have been involved in extensive claims in the past. Our workers’ compensation fraud private investigators can conduct medical record reviews and background checks to correlate the records to the claim.
Evidence Gathering: The workers’ compensation fraud investigators at Top Echelon Investigation compile detailed evidence to reveal cases of fraud and assist employers and agencies in halting payments for the compensation of fraudulent claims.
At the conclusion of our investigation, you can be assured that you’ll have all of the gathered information at your disposal to assess the validity of the workers’ compensation claim. All case documentation materials, including photographic, video and written evidence will be delivered to you in a professional report.
Call Top Echelon Investigation, LLC today at (337) 290-1298 to discuss the services that our Workers’ Compensation Fraud Private Investigators in Louisiana can provide for you.
Top Echelon Investigation, LLC is a full-service private detective agency with offices in Opelousas and Lafayette, Louisiana with private investigators serving:
Lake Charles, LA
Crowley, LA
New Orleans, LA
Bunkie, LA
Eunice, LA
Baton Rouge, LA
Opelousas, LA
New Iberia, LA
Hammond, LA
Marksville, LA
Lafayette, LA
Slidell, LA
Natchitoches, LA
Morgan City, LA
Carencro, LA
DeRidder, LA
Houma, LA
Ville Platte, LA
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