A NY Criminal Attorney Explains Workers’ Comp Hoaxes & Penalties for False Info
Workers’ compensation benefits are aimed at protecting employees injured on-the-job. To ensure that workers are cared for, employees are covered by workers’ comp for all illnesses and injuries sustained while performing work tasks. Employees may have medical bills paid, and may receive total or partial disability benefits on a temporary basis or on a permanent basis. The value of workers’ compensation benefits can be very substantial, which can result in workers’ providing false information or perpetrating hoaxes in order to get injury costs covered and to avoid working while still collecting income.
Defendants who make material misleading statements or who otherwise become involved in workers’ comp scams need to understand the possible criminal penalties they could face if convicted of a crime. A NY workers’ comp fraud defense attorney can provide assistance and advice in responding to criminal charges, fighting conviction, or securing a favorable plea agreement. Contact Bukh Law Firm, PLLC, for help from a top-ranked NYC criminal defense firm today.
False Information and Hoaxes in Workers’ Comp Claims
Workers’ comp claims should be straightforward: you get hurt on the job or are made sick by your work, you report your injuries, and you begin collecting benefits. Sometimes, however, defendants are accused of perpetrating hoaxes or otherwise orchestrating workers’ comp scams.
Engaging in hoaxes, including faking workplace accidents to get benefits, is a serious form of workers’ compensation fraud. Examples could include staged accidents where you pretend to suffer a work injury, even though the injury was actually sustained at home and not on-the-job. Workers who have no injuries at all may also engage in workers’ comp scams, often in conjunction with medical care providers. The providers are dishonest about a workers’ health conditions, in exchange for being able to bill for unnecessary services or services never performed.
In addition to staging accidents, workers or healthcare providers may provide false information to employers and insurers about issues ranging from the extent of injuries to the limitations posed by the injuries and the necessity of treatment. Making any false or misleading statement for the purposes of improperly obtaining benefits (or for the purposes of supporting someone’s improper claim for benefits) can lead to felony charges.
Penalties for Workers’ Comp Hoaxes and for Providing False Information
NY WKC Law Section 114 establishes specific penalties and consequences associated with making misleading statements to insurers to obtain benefits. The same penalties apply to anyone who knowingly- and with intent to defraud- prepares or submits a written statement in support of a benefits claim. The law makes clear that misleading statements and the provision of false information are Class E felonies, which is a crime that could carry a sentence of between 1 ½ and four years imprisonment.
Defendants who engage in staged accidents, or who otherwise are convicted of providing false and misleading information, could also face other charges for insurance fraud offenses or general fraud offenses. It is imperative you understand the full extent of all charges and possible penalties in order to determine the appropriate course of action for dealing with accusations.
How Can a NY Workers’ Comp Fraud Defense Lawyer Help?
If you’re accused of becoming involved with a hoax or a scheme to defraud workers’ comp insurers, you need to react quickly and begin fighting hard to avoid conviction and resulting penalties. There are defenses you can raise and legal arguments to make, and it may also be possible to negotiate plea agreements or seek to get charges dropped before trial. Bukh Law Firm, PLLC can advise you on all options for responding to charges, can help you to build a strong defense, and can advocate for you at every step as you face serious charges. Call today to speak with a NY criminal defense attorney with experience in false representation cases so we can get started on building your defense strategy.
