As a business owner and employer, you understand the importance of taking steps to ensure that your employees stay safe on the job. Of course, you also know that accidents can happen under any circumstances, and you abide by the law and carry workers’ compensation insurance in case any of your workers suffer an injury while at work.
Though you may have an extensive hiring process and hope to have the most upstanding employees, you likely know that some individuals may still make attempts to gain financial help when they do not really need it. In your case, a worker may have attempted to file a fraudulent workers’ compensation claim, and now you need to defend against it.
Fraudulent claims
Unfortunately, it is not always easy to know when someone may be lying about an injury they claim to have happened at work. Still, some people may choose to be dishonest in the following ways:
- A worker may claim that an injury or illness is more severe than it actually is.
- A worker may have suffered an injury outside of work but claim that it happened on the job in hopes of obtaining compensation.
- A worker may claim to have an injury or illness when one does not actually exist.
As an employer, you certainly do not want to make the wrong call when it comes to helping an injured worker, but you may have suspicions that a person claiming injury or illness is not telling the whole truth.
Uncovering the truth
In some cases, you may have the ability to clear up any suspicions you may have. For instance, if you ask the worker about the accident that led to the injury or illness and the worker’s story does not make sense or the details change, the person may be lying. Additionally, if the worker says no one witnessed the event, you may have further reason to suspect untruthfulness.
Of course, even if you suspect that a person has attempted to make a fraudulent claim, you may not have the ability to simply dismiss it. Instead, you may wish to consult with an attorney who could help you defend your business against fraudulent claims to make sure that one unscrupulous person does not damage your business interests, raise your insurance rates or make it more difficult for other workers to make valid workers’ comp claims.