We've all heard the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. It could be truer nowhere else than in the world of workers' comp, employment risk and workplace safety. A recent employer survey, however, tells me that an ounce of prevention might be pretty hard to come by. A just…
Florida Senate In Action (sort of) – Mike Bennett Video From Sarasota Roast
I recently wrote about a fundraising event I was chairing for a group I belong to, the Sertoma Club of Greater Sarasota. The event, the Sertoma Sarasota Celebrity Roast, this year featured Florida Senator Mike Bennett. As "RoastMaster" for the night, I am pleased to say it was a rousing success, and we raised over…
Google, Why am I the Face of Ohio Workers' Comp Fraud???
Recently an article I wrote about an episode of employee fraud was challenged by some members of the Work Comp Analysis Group on LinkedIn. They criticized me for highlighting employee fraud, which they claimed was minimal, while ignoring employer & carrier fraud, which they claimed was "rampant". In the interest of fairness, I decided to…
When Bad Things Happen to Good People – The Collapse of Impairment Resources is a Warning for All
Anyone who has met Dr. Chris Brigham probably had the same impression I did – an extremely polite and pleasant man, and an all around decent guy with a tremendous understanding of the industry and its needs. Brigham is founder of Impairment Resources, which until a few days ago reviewed medical records on workers' compensation…
The Riverwalk and Online Talk at the ABA: Building a Foundation for Online Investigations
It was cold and rainy here in San Antonio for the American Bar Association LEL & TIPS Mid Winter Conference, but the dialogue warmed things up rather rapidly inside. In a session discussing Social Networking and Investigations, Scott Catron, of Titan Investigations was giving a solid presentation on the guidelines for a proper online investigation…
Workers' Comp Fraud 101: Lesson 2 – When Shot in a Sex Club, Don't Lie About It
I don’t even know where to start on this one. I suppose I should mention that, as of this writing, the people I discuss have not yet been found guilty of fraud; their case just went to the jury yesterday. A man, shot in the back at a San Francisco sex club named Twist, is…
Florida Legislature Writes Wrong Prescription for Physician Dispensing
What started as an attempt to reign in excessive costs by restricting the extreme markups often employed by dispensing physicians in Florida has turned into a freakishly convoluted mess that hog ties carriers, assures massive physician dispensing profits, and does virtually nothing to solve the problem it set out to fix. In my view, it…
Roasting a Florida Senator in Sarasota
What do Florida Senators Garrett Richter, Nancy Detert, Mike Bennett and I all have in common? We will all be on the same stage March 16th, as I "RoastMaster" the Sertoma Sarasota Celebrity Roast. Senator Bennett, the Florida Senate President Pro Tempore, will be the evenings guest of dishonor. Politically this will be tempting for…
Something is Rotten in the Town of Bismarck: Alleged Record Tampering at the North Dakota WSI
It’s hard to believe, I know. In the pure and pristine land of the People’s Republic of North Dakota (PRND), where deer and antelope play, and nary a negative thought is uttered, allegations of corruption have once again reared their ugly head. Two whistleblowers at the offices of Workforce Safety and Insurance claim that they…
To Serve, Protect and Sue: NH Supremes Say Injured Firefighter Can Sue Homeowner
If your house catches fire in New Hampshire, be sure to clear the ice off your driveway before you call the volunteer fire department. May want to make sure the yard is free of clutter, and tidy up the house while you’re at it. Because the firefighters who save your home may be able to…