Duo falsely billed more than $80M to worker’s comp program

• Two individuals involved in a state-wide chain of physical therapy clinics have been charged with defrauding a federal worker’s compensation program.
• The 18-count indictment charges Ricardo Cano McAllen and Rosita Cano Meeks Edinburg with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and 10 counts of health care fraud. Cano is also charged with seven counts of money laundering.
• They allegedly billed more than $80 million to the Department of Labor Office of Worker’s Comp Program for physical therapy services provided to injured federal employees.
• If convicted, they each face up to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and substantive counts of health care fraud. Cano also faces up to 10 years for each conviction of money laundering.
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Former police officer awarded $7M in workers comp case

• Joseph Viera, an ex-policeman in Florida, was awarded $7.1 million in a workers’ comp case.
• Viera’s patrol vehicle was T-boned on the way to a crime scene.
• Though he survived, he never worked as a cop again.
• It took more than two decades for him to obtain adequate compensation for his injuries.
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Workers compensation impacts future employment

• Many workers may wonder how accepting workers’ compensation benefits can impact their future employment opportunities.
• It’s essential to understand that employers are legally prohibited from retaliating against employees who file for workers’ compensation.
• This means that you cannot be fired or demoted solely because you have sought these benefits.
• Employers must uphold your rights and protect you from any discrimination based on your injury status.
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Dollar Tree, Family Dollar reaches settlement with regulators

• The parent company of Dollar Tree and Family Dollar will have two years to identify causes of repeated safety violations and take steps to correct them under a settlement agreement with U.S. regulators,
• OSHA reached a corporate-wide settlement agreement with Dollar Tree Inc. to improve workplace safety nationwide. The companies have also agreed to pay $1.35 million in penalties to settle existing contested as well as open inspections of similar alleged violations.
• The company bought Family Dollar in 2015 for nearly $9 billion. Signed last week, the settlement agreement affects some 10,000 locations.
• Dollar Tree and Family Dollar must conduct an assessment of the root causes of the violations OSHA has repeatedly cited, and then make operational changes to correct them under the agreement.
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