There’s a misperception that people who file worker’s compensation claims aren’t “really hurt.” Truth be told, about 80 percent of all worker’s comp claims filed are legitimate, from people genuinely injured and entitled to their claim. That said, insurance companies, HR managers and other professionals involved in the claim process need to be aware of the red flags to detect those 20 percent or so claims not on the up-and-up.
Lyons &Wolivar Inc. (L&W Investigations)
* Multiple claims within a short period of time (e.g. three in one to two years).
* Longer absences than anticipated for minor injuries; resistance to coming back to work on partial duty or other jobs within the company.
* The claimant experiencing financial or domestic difficulties prior to claim.
* The alleged injury occurring before or just after a strike, layoff, plant closure, job termination, completion of temporary work or notice of employer relocation.
* A letter from a lawyer or medical clinic is the first notice of a claim.
* The claimant reports alleged injury immediately following disciplinary action, notice of probation, demotion or being passed over for promotion.
* No witnesses to the accident, or conflicting versions of the accident, conflict between witnesses and claimant.
* The accident or type of injury is unusual for the claimant's line of work.
* The claimant frequently changes physicians.
“The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud estimates the costs associated with insurance fraud to be $120 billion annually. That’s not an epidemic, that’s a plague and it requires insurance and HR professionals to be aware of these red flags,” said Neal Lyons, chairman and CEO of Lyons & Wolivar , Inc.
L & W is not your typical private investigations firm because it works exclusively on workers compensation, disability, liability, auto and property claims for organizations ranging from insurance companies to third-party administrators, self-insured companies to law firms and municipalities.
L &W employs seasoned investigators who specialize in investigating insurance cases (or claims). All L&W investigators go through extensive training and have access to the most state-of-the-
For more information on L&W Investigations you can call their corporate offices at (508) 616-9370 or visit the Web site at www.lwinvestigations.com.
Not your everyday investigations firm
Lyons &Wolivar, Inc. (L&W Investigations)
L&W Investigations territories are located across the U.S. and the Hawaiian Islands as well as in Canada and Puerto Rico.
For additional information, visit the Web site at www.lwinvestigations.com or contact L&W’s corporate headquarters located in Westborough, Massachusetts, at (508) 616-9370.
