Category Archives: Insurance

CONTRACTORS CHARGED WITH WORKERS’ COMPENSATION FRAUD AND CONSPIRACY IN CALIFORNIA

According to a report from the Insurance Journal, people associated with two separate Bay Area construction companies have been charged with workers’ compensation insurance fraud as well as a related conspiracy offense. The companies reportedly paid more than $12 million in unreported and/or misclassified wages to workers. The business owners and management employees deemed responsible […]

CALIFORNIA STEPPING UP THE FIGHT AGAINST MEDICAL PROVIDER FRAUD IN THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION SYSTEM

According to a report from the Insurance Journal, California regulators are stepping up the fight against insurance fraud—especially workers’ compensation fraud committed by medical providers. California Insurance Commissioner, Ricardo Lara, has announced more than $50 million in insurance fraud prevention grants to 34 District Attorneys’ (DA) offices across the state. Notably, a significant portion of […]

REPORT: $15 BILLION IN TOTAL WORKERS’ COMPENSATION LOSSES AND EXPENSES FOR INSURANCE COMPANIES IN 2022

On June 29, 2023, the Insurance Journal reported that the total workers’ compensation-related expenses and losses incurred by insurance companies in California in 2022 is approximately $15 billion. The full report was put together by the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California (WCIRB). California state law mandates that workers’ compensation insurers provide comprehensive financial […]

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION INSURANCE IN CALIFORNIA: UNDERSTANDING YOUR MOST BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN EMPLOYER

Employers in California are legally obligated to purchase and maintain no-fault workers’ compensation insurance coverage (Labor Code § 3700). As an employer, you have certain legal obligations under our state’s workers’ compensation laws. Failure to abide by these duties could lead to a number of different legal problems. In this article, our Bakersfield workers’ compensation […]

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION FRAUD WATCH: FRESNO BUSINESS OWNERS CHARGED WITH UNDERREPORTING PAYROLL BY $2.5 MILLION

On October 11, 2022, the California Department of Insurance announced that the Central Valley Workers’ Compensation Fraud Task Force has uncovered a multi-million dollar workers’ compensation fraud scheme in Fresno. A husband, wife, and their daughter (Karamjit Nijjar, Rajinder Kaur Nijjar, and Mandip Nijjar) were arraigned on felony workers’ compensation fraud charges for allegedly underreporting […]

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION FRAUD CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST THREE PEOPLE AT THE LAST MINUTE

According to a report from the Sacramento Bee, a court has decided to drop workers’ compensation fraud charges against three individuals who were collectively accused of defrauding the system out of more than $125,000.00 in workers’ compensation premiums. A last-minute piece of key evidence regarding intent changed the situation. The criminal workers’ compensation fraud trial […]

HOME HEALTH CARE PLACEMENT AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA CITED FOR MISCLASSIFYING WORKERS

On September 28, 2022, the State of California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) announced citations against home health care placement agencies for misclassifying workers. Altogether, the employers will be required to pay more than $1.8 million in financial penalties. More than five dozen workers were affected by the misclassification. The improper classification of employees is […]

YELLOWSTONE ACTRESS CHARGED WITH FELONY WORKERS’ COMPENSATION FRAUD IN CALIFORNIA

On July 11, 2022, the California Department of Insurance announced that Q’Orianka Kilcher—a 32-year-old North Hollywood, CA actress famous for her role on the hit TV show ‘Yellowstone’—has been charged with two felony counts of workers’ compensation fraud. Authors contend that Ms. Kilcher collected more than $90,000.00 of workers’ compensation disability benefits that were not […]

CALIFORNIA BUSINESS OWNER ARRAIGNED FOR WORKERS’ COMPENSATION FRAUD (UNDERREPORTED PAYROLL)

On June 16, 2022, the California Department of Insurance announced that Gamlet Abramian, a 47-year-old business owner from Los Angeles County, has been arraigned on workers’ compensation fraud charges. Prosecutors contend that Mr. Abramian knowingly and willfully misreported payroll, thereby underpaying workers’ compensation insurance premiums by at least $212,667.00. Here, our Fresno workers’ compensation defense […]

REPORT: SHARE INCREASE IN MED-LEGAL WORKERS’ COMPENSATION COSTS IN FIRST HALF OF 2022

Costs are rising across the United States. Recently, Bloomberg News reported that the national inflation rate hit a 40-year high. The medical and legal costs of workers’ compensation in California are rising sharply as well. On June 5, 2022, the Insurance Journal reported that costs for resolving workers’ compensation disputes are rising even faster than […]