Louisiana Court Revives Fraud Fight

A Louisiana appeals court has revived LUBA Workers Comp’s fraud dispute against a former claimant, a cases that addresses the challenges insurers face in contesting workers’ comp claims.
The Louisiana Court of Appeal, Second Circuit, on Oct. 1 reversed a trial court’s dismissal of a case brought by LUBA Workers Comp and TruCare Home Health, LLC against former employee Rebecca Sears.
The case revolves around allegations that Sears made false statements to her medical providers in order to obtain additional workers’ compensation benefits following a workplace injury in 2014.
The case heads back to the lower court for further proceedings.
READ MORE

The travel schedule of California Insurance Commissions Ricardo Lara is under scrutiny after reports that he has made 48 global trips on taxpayers’ money but has only identified a direct business purpose for seven of those trips, three of which included vague descriptions,” according to local news reports.
Due to incomplete records, it’s unclear how many of these trips were taxpayer funded. “Receipts show expenses for at least 13 pricey trips were on taxpayers’ dime,” investigative news outlet California Globe reported.
His travel schedule was contrasted by current market conditions, as “California homeowners have been getting hit with massive spikes in insurance premiums, or getting notices that their insurance is cancelled altogether, leaving only double or triple rate increases in the government’s last-resort FAIR insurance plan,” reported California Globes Katy Grimes.
READ MORE

Nearly a third of workers who suffer from pain at work don’t report it, as their safety leaders consistently rate workplace culture more positively than employees do, according to new research from the National Safety Council.
The research from Frontline Worker Perspectives on Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevention, based on survey data from 1,000 non-managerial workers across diverse industries, reveals significant disconnects between management perceptions and worker experiences in MSD prevention efforts.
“These findings offer a powerful reminder that safety cannot be achieved without the voice of those doing the work every day,” said Paige DeBaylo, PhD, director MSD Solutions Lab at NSC. “When we engage frontline workers meaningfully, we unlock new opportunities to reduce injuries, foster trust and improve organizational safety culture.”
READ MORE