12 Dec NY Mechanic Caught Defrauding Workers’ Comp

Workers’ compensation can help pay for a lot of disparities when you’re hurt on the job, from medical bills to lost wages because you can’t work. The Law Offices of Jeffrey M. Bloom specializes in helping employees get the fast, fair compensation they deserve. However, for some workers fast and fair isn’t enough—they head back to work while still collecting workers’ comp payments for lost wages. It’s one of the most common ways people try to defraud workers’ comp policies, and they usually get caught.

Investigating Worker’s Comp Claims

The scam recently happened in New York when mechanic Lawrence Bunting was caught by State Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro. Lawrence had been claiming that he wasn’t working, when in actuality he’d gone back to work at a used car dealership. Since he was getting paid under the table, he likely thought there was no chance of being found out. However, when it comes to workers’ comp claims, the investigations can be intense.

Lawrence claimed he was initially injured at a trucking company in 2015. Soon after the alleged injury, he started receiving workers’ comp disability benefits. While receiving benefits (and on leave from the trucking company) he started working for a dealership that specialized in buying and selling cars for scrap. It’s reported that he worked a maximum of eight hours per day maintaining cars, loading-trucks, using tools, and otherwise taking on a relatively physically demanding job.

According to Tagliafierro, workers comp “provides a critical safety net to those who are injured on-the-job and in need of support … we will continue to find individuals like this who abuse the system for a personal profit.” Most employers are required to cover their employees with workers’ comp coverage. In return, the employees are required to be forthcoming when it comes to information about their injuries and work status. In October 2019, Bunting pled guilty to Petit Larceny (which is a misdemeanor) and was ordered to repay $4,964 in fraudulent workers’ comp payments. Sentencing is scheduled for January 2020.

Schedule Your Consultation

If you’re an employee who’s been hurt on the job, the quickest way to get through the red tape of workers’ comp claims is with a workers’ comp attorney—and we don’t get paid until you do. Call the Law Offices of Jeffrey M. Bloom at 855-208-3650 to schedule your complimentary workers’ comp consultation today.