People don’t seem to realize that it is against the law to file a false workers comp claim in Florida. Our Coral Springs workers compensation lawyers have represented thousands of workers over the years. For the most part, our clients have suffered legitimate injuries at work.
However, there are times when an employee thinks they have fooled the insurance carrier into paying their claim only to find out later that their claim is being denied. Here, we will discuss what can happen if you’re caught filing a fraudulent insurance claim. If you have questions about your own case, contact our office right away.
Just Because Your Workers Compensation Claim Was Approved Doesn’t Mean Your Employer is Done Investigating
Some of our clients assume that, just because their workers comp claim was approved, that the insurance company is satisfied that your claim is legitimate. That isn’t always the case. If you start to notice that people are following you or that strange people are sending friend requests online, let your Coral Springs workers compensation lawyer know.
They will find out what is going on and see if there is an issue with your claim. If they talk to the insurance adjuster handling your claim, they may get a better idea of where they stand. If they doubt the veracity of your claim, they may come out and admit as much to your Coral Springs injury attorney.
If Your Claim is Large, the Insurance Company May Have an Investigator Following You
Sometimes, if an employee files a workers comp claim that will cost the insurance company a lot of money, they will conduct a thorough investigation. They may approve your claim at first simply so they can buy time to investigate your claim. For example, if you claim that you hurt your back at work and will be out of work for several months or longer, the insurance company is going to do their due diligence. Some of the things their investigator may do includes the following:
- Follow you when you are out and about performing personal tasks
- Review your social media posts to see if anything suspicious pops up
- Talk to your coworkers and see if they saw anything out of the ordinary
- Look to see if you have filed workers compensation claims in the past
- Review your medical records to see if you may have had a pre-existing condition.
Just to put this into perspective, the insurance companies already have investigators on hand. They don’t have to pay outside agencies to handle their investigation. If they suspect that you’re lying about how you got work, they will find a way to prove it.
You Need to Be Upfront and Honest with Your Coral Springs Injury Attorney
One thing our Coral Springs injury attorneys demand is that our clients be honest with us from the start. If we’re going to invest time and money into preparing your case, we need to know that your claim is legitimate. While very few people come to us looking to pursue a fraudulent claim, it has happened. Some people actually think that our Coral Springs injury attorneys won’t be able to recognize a valid claim from a suspicious one. We know what questions to ask and we know what we must do to prove your claim. If the evidence just doesn’t add up, we won’t be able to handle your case. If you can’t be upfront and honest with your Coral Springs workers compensation lawyers, then they will not be able to help.
If You File a Fraudulent Claim, You Will Be in Hot Water
If the insurance company can prove that you filed a fraudulent insurance claim, you will be facing serious penalties. At a minimum, you’ll be assessed a fine of anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000. In addition, you could be sentenced to up to a year in prison. Notice, we did not say jail – we said prison. This means that you could spend a year with hardened criminals. Now, if you made an honest mistake, your Coral Springs workers’ compensation lawyer may be able to help. Of course, they will not handle this sort of case on a contingency basis. You would have to find out how the fee would work if this is the case.
There Won’t Be Much Your Coral Springs Workers Compensation Lawyer Can Do
If your workers’ compensation claim was fraudulent, there isn’t much your Coral Springs injury attorney can do to help. Unless you can convince your lawyer that your claim was legitimate, they aren’t going to help you file an appeal. Your Coral Springs workers’ compensation lawyer cannot pursue a claim they know is fraudulent. That would make them complicit in the fraud and there’s no way a licensed attorney will do that. There is too much at risk for them to even consider handling a case of that nature. Now, if your claim was real and the insurance company is wrong, your Coral Springs injury attorney will need sufficient evidence to prove as much.
If you’ve been wrongfully accused of filing a fraudulent worker’s comp claim, you should definitely talk to an experienced Coral Springs workers compensation lawyer. Our associates have decades of combined experience handling workers compensation cases. We can tell a fake claim from a real one. If we don’t feel there is enough evidence to support your claim, we will let you know in advance. We aren’t going to pursue a claim that we don’t feel is valid. Even if we believe you, there has to be enough solid evidence to prove that your claim was legitimate. If that evidence just isn’t there, then there won’t be much our Coral Springs injury attorney can do to help you.
While there’s no guarantee that we will be able to represent you, that doesn’t mean it’s a given. If we meet and believe there is sufficient evidence to move forward, then that’s what we’ll do. Since we offer all new clients a free, initial consultation, it’s worth your time to at least sit down and discuss your case with a seasoned Coral Springs workers compensation lawyer.
