I think my employee filed a fraudulent workers’ compensation claim. What should I do?

Has a recent employee of yours filed a workers’ compensation claim but something about their story just seems a little off-putting? Melbourne Private Investigations can help. While most workers’ compensation cases are legitimate, unfortunately fraud can and does occur. We’ve worked with many businesses across Melbourne who have asked us to investigate their employee’s compensation claim – and the results can be surprising.

What is workers’ compensation?

Also known as workman’s comp, workers’ compensation is a form of insurance payment that reimburses employees who have suffered from a workplace injury. Workers’ compensation is a two-way benefit system: the employee who is hurt on the job receives payments to cover their wages and any medical expenses while they’re not fit for work, and the employer is protected from potential lawsuits. Regrettably, some people choose to rort the system – and many get away with it.

Common claimant fraud warning signs

When a person commits workers’ compensation fraud, everyone suffers. In extreme circumstances, jobs can be cut because the premiums that you as an employer pays will go up. Here’s a few signs to look out for when it comes to common claimant fraud:

  • There are no witnesses to the incident
  • The injured employee’s story is suspicious at best and inconsistent at worst
  • The injured employee has a history of making workers’ compensation claims
  • The incident occurred just before or after a weekend or public holiday
  • The injured employee has a history of changing jobs frequently
  • The injured employee hires a solicitor right after the accident or is pushing for an immediate payout
  • The incident has occurred just before an expiring contract or an imminent termination
  • There is evidence that the injured employee also works a side job

If you suspect your employee has filed a fraudulent workers’ compensation claim, contact Melbourne Private Investigations today to begin a formal investigation.

The workers’ compensation investigation process

We understand that a workplace accident is not a single event, but a process. If there is any concern about the authenticity to your employee’s claims, we can investigate it further by surveilling the employee in public spaces during their time off, and when they are supposed to be receiving their medical treatment for their injuries. We may take photographs or video these activities, especially if the activities do not correspond with the reported injuries.

We may even take to social media to ascertain whether your employee is participating in contradictory activities, such as skiing or hiking, when they are supposed to be recovering from a broken ankle, for example.

If your employee was given a company phone, we may even add spyware to listen in on the phone conversations.

Then, we report our findings back to you.

Do you need a professional to investigate a workers’ compensation claim?

More and more Australians are turning to a specialist who can investigate a workers’ compensation claim and get the answers they need.

Protect your business and hire Melbourne Private Investigations to sort it out for you. We use a range of state-of-the-art surveillance technology, such as audio enhancement software and GPS tracking, to capture all the evidence you might need to make a decision about your employee’s claim. When you’re ready, we’ll be waiting. Contact us for a confidential discussion about your needs.

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