Texas EMT Sentenced in Workers’ Comp Fraud Case
Texas Mutual Insurance Company reported that a Travis County district court sentenced Michael J. Rosenberg of McAllen, Texas, on workers’ compensation fraud-related charges. Rosenberg’s sentence included two years’ deferred adjudication, 100 hours of community service and a $200 fine. The court also ordered him to repay $2,821 to Texas Mutual.
Rosenberg reported a job-related injury while working as an emergency medical technician for Med-Care Emergency Medical Services in McAllen. He claimed he was unable to work as a result of the injury, and Texas Mutual Insurance Company began paying him income benefits.
Meanwhile, Texas Mutual uncovered evidence that Rosenberg was working as an emergency medical technician for another ambulance service while receiving disability income benefits.
Investigators call this type of scam double-dipping because the claimant collects benefits for being too injured to work when he or she is gainfully employed. Texas law requires claimants to contact their workers’ comp carrier when they return to work. Left unchecked, double-dipping and other workers’ comp fraud can lead to higher premiums for all Texas employers.
Source: Texas Mutual Insurance Company