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Fighting Insurance Fraud

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    Paul Colbert of the Meridian Investigative Group on the techniques used to fight workers-compensation fraud.

  • Duration 6:14
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Easier sides of law and -- of personal injury work is worker's comp.

People claim they were injured on the job and then with the help of a lawyer argue that instead of working they should get monthly payments from the state.

Of course some really are injured but many are like the firemen who claimed -- disability but then competed triathlon.

I assume the lawyers suspect that their clients fake injuries -- don't want no -- asking skeptical questions might offend the client.

And they can't make money if they lose the client.

The chamber of commerce says a quarter of workers' comp claims -- -- I don't know if that's true but Paul Colbert says it is he runs a company that secretly follows people who.

File dubious claims and videotapes -- doing things like this.

This weight lifter claims he heard his left shoulder in their forces he can't work but his left arm sure looks strong here is so Paul what's the story behind this.

So John we got a tip off that -- this claim it was going to be doing some light -- you know and clearly from the video you can see.

You know typically the -- some heavy -- -- -- absolutely I mean.

With the left shoulder injury like that I mean I'm I'm pretty strong guy myself but I can tell -- thrown half of that stack that would certainly cause an injury today even the strongest person.

He was collecting workers' comp he claimed -- felt a pop -- moving a box and he had no mobility in his left shoulder.

Because 00 so he was zero impact to his spine and zero weightlifting and that's his capacity.

And you got that video.

With the device like this sounds absolutely -- and and we're not really afraid to show our technology there's an antenna wireless transmitter inside this cup.

I'm we utilize these devices.

For just about everything I mean we can conform a camera and put it in an item that you would never suspect so.

For anyone it's anticipating her possibly considering committing insurance fraud we will catch you -- -- -- -- and I assume you in the audience were aware of this but earlier when I showed you around here you were using the secret.

Soft drink absolutely just to show you how unassuming this stuff -- We walked right in and started to document your audience and this is how easily we can obtain the same footage.

I'm claimants and other individuals that are also unsuspecting and committing fraud.

So watch.

Let's look at another case of this man also claimed to have a non productive left arm and can't earn income like he used to so what's he doing here.

So we got a tip off that he might possibly be back in the construction industry and as you can see from here the way he's utilizing bolt cutters to cut the rebar off.

Probably -- well over 600 pounds worth the rebar on the front that forklift and clearly you can see he grabs a hold of it -- do you then FT Ketchum go up to a woman confront them now.

Now of course not.

We don't want to get shot I mean there's some.

We basically will turn our evidence over its insurance carrier or who knows your clients -- -- the insurance carriers and defense lawyers are who we.

So not all lawyers are bad defense lawyers -- get.

Some of them some of them are bad -- about it what percent of cases do you find fraud where 79%.

This year already.

-- -- So that.

Fed speakers 79%.

Of workers comp cases are fraudulent but you.

Focus on the ones where someone is suspicious 79%.

Of the files that we've investigated this year are showing for the ones -- go to -- -- the insurance company has a reason -- basis absolutely and that's something more we coached him on red flags to look for flag suspicious claims.

Some of the things you look for is the individual says that their home all the time but yet they never answer the telephone or if they do you answer the telephone it sounds like parent club.

And people who immediately file with an attorney -- that's a red -- very very quickly do you look for those folks that are going on gathering council.

Next case is a guy who -- grocery store for negligence he says he slipped like canned in the store.

Injured his back has to avoid any impact on his lower back.

Look what you caught him doing.

And -- it's sort of hard to see in the video but this was.

Machine that really shocked this guy's back up corrected as as he starts to dig in and that Claude digs in.

As you can see the back in the death tax -- comes up and then I mean it slams down some pretty significant force Emmys we joked around and called in the human shock of -- -- is he just.

Consistently mean we have hours of this so it's not just.

You know 510 seconds this is hours of continuous.

Compression to the -- One last case a worker claimed to be incapacitated.

By low back pain can't drive -- mobile lawn and yet.

You finally got another -- Not I can't not only and not only is -- Jack Cameron asked to rattle your teeth that have your head.

He has about chemistry he's currently collecting these double dipping as what we call -- he's collecting money from the previous employer.

And now he was able to pick up a position with the city municipality.

So for me that draws a couple concerns this one are the municipalities doing enough background.

And due diligence on these folks before they're hiring them because they've just hired a liability.

Now he's got a lawyer.

They're most all who have lawyers.

May -- the lawyer doesn't know you and I both know that's not the -- Why do you think it's not the truth because I've seen these folks get -- up in court these attorneys are very well versed at how to Coach these claimants on what to look for and -- did you find they they -- to them about cleaning themselves and does that mean.

Claiming as a term that's utilized for claimants as they're going to and fro.

Running their parents before they leave the house and attorney would tell them make a couple U turns -- here neighbor's driveway give yourself an opportunity to see if there is anybody trailing you.

-- when you come home make a couple deliberate U turns.

Look over your shoulder just to give the impression here at least aware even if you don't see anyone so these folks served.

Being coached up in that aspect.

All right so be aware that if you sickened at cheating you tool at the -- working -- Paul Colbert and his cameras will catch you thank you --