Los Angeles Business Nightmare | Investigating Workers' Compensation Fraud
Workers’ compensation investigations. We are the premier investigation team that can help you
minimize workers’ compensation claim exposure. In California, expectations need to be realistic —
what people think of as “fraud” often doesn’t apply the same way in workers’ comp.
That said, we can absolutely help reduce and eliminate inflated settlements. There’s nothing like
indisputable surveillance video of someone doing exactly what they told their doctors they cannot do.
Together we can get X-mods back under control.
Workers Compensation Fraud in California
According to OSHA, over $1 billion in direct workers' compensation payments are made every week and, according to the WCIRB's 2024 releases, California's workers' compensation claims increased 10% since 2023, with the total 2024 losses amounting to $16.7 billion representing 108% of earned premium! While a sizable quantity of these claims are likely legitimate, it's not hard to imagine that a significant portion are either grossly inflated in their reported severity, or downright fraudulent to take advantage of a lenient system. At Paramount Investigative Services, we're familiar with the legal precedent throughout California, and have extensive experience performing workers' compensation investigations in and around Los Angeles
Workers’ Compensation Surveillance in Los Angeles
While personal injury investigations largely center around auto accidents or other accidental injury that implicates a business, workers' compensation investigations are often much more important to address with immediacy, as the workers themselves have a much more intimate knowledge of the business, its inner workings, and its finances, than a random target of a scammer. We work quickly and discreetly to acquire surveillance video and photo evidence of a workers' wellbeing, physical ability, and lifestyle, to prove quickly and decisively in court that a workers' compensation claim is not what they stated and even fraudulent: saving you and your business time, money and needless headaches.
How to Investigate workers' compensation claims in California
Investigations involving suspected fraudulent injuries require immediate action. Almost always, fraudulent claims come with increasingly elaborate acts pretending to be disabled, limping, a claimed inability to lift grocery bags, etc. However, early on, they haven't had time to make their performance Oscar-worthy leaving them vulnerable to surveillance. That's where we come in! We quickly gather video and photo evidence of them performing their everyday tasks with no issues whatsoever, as well as scouring their social media for any additional evidence, leaving no stone unturned.
Why Businesses in Los Angeles Trust Our Workers’ Comp Investigators
Many other PI firms and workers' compensation investigators hire out their work; taking your money, and subcontracting to inexperienced and/or unlicensed investigators to perform the surveillance! This often results in poor quality evidence, or worse, alerts the subject to the fact they're being monitored and recorded. If the latter happens, your chance of ever catching them “in the act” goes out the window! With workers' comp payouts reaching all time highs, hiring an inexpensive investigator to get the job done isn't just potentially unviable, we believe it's unethical. When you hire Paramount Investigative Services, you get our own investigators performing the work directly so you'll be speaking with the investigator directly handling your case! This lets us provide accurate budget and timeline estimates
Workers comp fraud investigations in LA by top PI
If you're trying to investigate a suspected fraudulent workers' compensation claim, our team at Paramount Investigative Services has the track record, resources, expertise, and commitment to tackle your case with ease. We're your embedded Special Investigations Unit, and have a comprehensive service offering uniquely tailored to suit attorneys and businesses tackling this unique yet all too prevalent form of fraud. Contact us today for a free consultation and estimate of our services, or read our articles on workers' compensation fraud and how to refer fraud to the districts attorneys office. Read some of our workers comp fraud true story.
Frequently asked questions of a work Comp fraud investigator:
Yes, surveillance can and is used to investigate workers compensation claims.
Subrosa is a old term latin term for “Under the Rose” Often times roses were hung in the room to symbolize that conversations were to be confidential. Today the term is used universally with the word surveillance. As it is to be kept confidential.
Investigators look for inconsistencies; statements don't align, dates don't add up, and injuries far exceed what would be considered relatively normal.
Often times these cases vary. Some workers comp claims need statements to understand the incident. Some cases are solved by online social media screening and then there is surveillance. Most workers comp claims will have a few rounds of investigations during the duration of the case.
Yes! The company can hire the Pi if they feel something is amiss and they should. Often times the employer has the relationship and inside knowledge. A lot of times, coworkers hear rumors of the persons working another job and or playing sports etc.
Red flags are signs that your claim is less than truthful. One red flag is the that the injury doesn't align with the accident or the injured persons social media images contradict their current physical state. Read our article here on workers comp fraud red flags
Workers comp claims become fraud when there is intent to fraud. It all boils down to the lies and timing of these lies.
Employers, TPA's, Insurance firms, SIU's and self insured carriers. All of you must familiarize yourself with the Department of Insurance FD-1 fraud form. Though the form is self explanatory you must show the DA's there is a “prosecutable fraud.
Yes you can go to jail for filing a false workers comp claim. However, the bar for proving fraud is set VERY high compared to other insurance claims.
