It may sound like the stuff of conspiracy theories, but some companies actually do hire private investigators to follow employees who have claimed that a serious injury occurred in the workplace or while doing job-related activity off the work-site. A Workers Compensation Attorney in Burlington VT helps people whose claims have been denied when an employer or insurance company believes these workers have been dishonest. In some instances, the compensation is approved at first and later cut off because the insurer believes the person is able to return to work.
Hiring investigators is unlikely when the person only needs a minimal amount of time off work to recover. However, when medical bills are astronomical, and the individual may be permanently disabled, the insurer wants definitive confirmation that there is no dishonesty. There may be suspicions that the individual is malingering, or pretending the negative consequences are lasting longer than they actually are. The insurer may suspect the person has exaggerated the severity of the injury.
An investigator watches for discrepancies between what the employee has stated in documentation and what is going on in his or her real life. Sometimes fraud is evident. An individual may claim to still need a walker to get around, but the PI may discover the person riding a bicycle or up on a ladder cleaning leaves from the drainage gutters Other cases are not so straightforward. Consider someone who normally needs to use a walker while recovering from an injury, but is able to walk a short distance without the device. What happens if an investigator photographs this person walking to the curbside mailbox without assistance? A Workers Compensation Attorney in Burlington VT may be necessary to resolve the dispute.
These actions on the part of insurers can anger people who deserve workers compensation. They may feel that insurance companies are being unreasonable in wanting to deny claims. In truth, insurers mainly want to make sure that they are not being taken advantage of through fraud. Attorneys with a firm such as McVeigh Skiff LLP can help both parties sort through the conflicting information and come to an appropriate agreement.
