Look Out For Workers’ Compensation Fraud

Workers’ compensation is a reality for most businesses, as accidents and injuries do happen from time to time. And as with other aspects of life, sometimes dishonest claims of workers’ compensation occur. Although a small percentage of workers’ compensation claims are fraudulent, a fair percentage of claims can be considered “exaggerated,” in that the claim lasts longer than the actual injury.

Sometimes workers take advantage of workers’ compensation by:

  • Faking accidents
  • Pretending they are injured
  • Trying to pass off non-work-related injuries as on-the-job injuries
  • Exaggerating the length and severity of the injury
  • Trying to say that old injuries are new work-related injuries

Exaggerated claims do occur; however, your business can do its part to reduce the number of fraudulent workers’ compensation claims. Here are some prevention tips:

  • Advertise workplace safety. Some workers’ compensation claims can be attributed to a lack of knowledge over how to safely perform jobs. By hanging safety tip posters and distributing flyers, you can help teach your employees the safest way to perform their jobs and prevent injuries.
  • Conduct background checks before making new hires. Before hiring employees for higher-risk positions, consider conducting background checks. They can provide a great deal of insight into a person’s character and background history, and can help prevent you from making a bad hire.
  • Identify potential hazards in your workplace. If you believe you have a workplace safety concern, assign a team to identify and assess any areas of risk. These areas could be exploited by someone looking to claim workers’ compensation benefits improperly, but you can prevent unnecessary claims by doing an assessment of your organization — and fixing any issues — first.

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Here at Luttrell Staffing Group, our team is comprised of workplace experts. We can help you identify areas for potential cost reduction, match your workforce to your workflow, and decrease costs while improving productivity. Contact us today to get started.