Worker's Compensation fraud is among the most contentious legal battles in today's courtrooms because the stakes are high. A conviction can leave you with a felony charge on your record, face the potential of jailtime, and it could affect your chances of getting a job in the future. Besides the inability to work, it could also give you the social stigma of being a "felon" or a "cheat".
An arrest or accusation is especially painful when you are legitimately hurt and trying to recover so you can go back to work.
What Is Worker's Compensation Fraud In Riverside County?
There are several types of workers comp fraud:
- Bogus injury claims. For example when somebody claims to be hurt but they are actually OK. Or, they were hurt away from work but claim the injury occurred at work. Other people may claim their injuries are more severe than they are.
- Defrauding insurance companies. Sometimes business owners will attempt to reduce their worker's comp premiums by using dishonest accounting practices or establishing fake companies. These are complex investigations and can result in stiff prison sentences, if found guilty.
- Doctors and chiropractors can be accused of scamming workers compensation by overcharging for services, not providing the correct treatments, or billing for unperformed services. These charges can lead to jail and the loss of medical licenses.
All of these crimes and the laws surrounding them are complex and need to be thoroughly investigated by an experienced defense attorney.
The Penalties are Harsh, So You Need An Aggressive Criminal Defense Attorney
A felony conviction for workers compensation fraud could land you in prison for up to 5 years or more. That is a long time away from friends, family, and your profession. Even misdemeanor convictions are harsh. You could receive up to one year in county jail and be fined twice the amount of fraud claimed by the insurance company.
What You Should Do if You Have Been Accused of Workers Comp Fraud
Whatever you do, don't think you can go to the police or prosecutor and "explain your side" and everything will be OK. It doesn't work that way, and you could be talking your way into a jail cell. Keep in mind that when lawyers get in trouble, they don’t represent themselves. Instead, they hire lawyers, and so should you.
If you find yourself accused of worker's compensation fraud or any other type of false insurance claim, you absolutely need to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at the Law Office of Nic Cocis. Since 1999, we have represented many individuals from the Riverside County cities of Temecula, Menifee, Murrieta, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Hemet, Perris and Corona, Winchester.
Contact our law office immediately to schedule a free and confidential consultation.