Workcover Surveillance & Disproving False Injury Claims
Australia’s Workcover, or Worksafe system is a two-edged sword. One the one hand, it is an excellent way of assuring safer working practices. On the other hand, some employees use it to lodge fraudulent claims. This can result in innocent employers incurring penalties for allegedly failing to comply, and paying higher insurance premiums in the future too.
If you find yourself in the latter situation, our Workcover Surveillance Service may be worth considering. We have experienced QLD Covert Investigations detectives who know where to start, and what to look for. Read more
The Types of False Claims our Workcover Surveillance Team Investigates
False employee claims under the Worksafe system are usually in respect of injuries sustained while not at work, but ‘imported’ into the employer’s environment with a view to claiming costs and consequential damages. Other false claims include exaggerating the effect of actual workplace incidents, faking pain, pretending old injuries have just happened, and claiming unnecessary sick leave.
This type of fraud requires the assistance of a dishonest specialist to succeed. A doctor may manipulate the date and time the ‘incident’ took place, so it apparently happened while the claimant was at work. They may also collude by making out the injury is more serious than it really is.
Shady lawyers take the process further by pressing false lawsuits for phantom workplace accidents. Like the doctors who may not even be registered practitioners, they offer guaranteed results for inflated charges that are tantamount to kickbacks. In a worst-case scenario, the doctor and lawyer may be unofficial business partners.
How Workcover Surveillance Protects Employer Interests
The average Australian employer facing this situation for the first time, finds themselves pummelled by a knowledge base they do not understand, and covert / open threats. Some buckle far too easily under pressure and end up paying fines and insurance premiums that in reality they do not owe.
The only way to bottom out on what really happened is to ask the silent majority in the workforce. The conflict of interest between employer and employee, plus the power of the unions makes this virtually impossible for business owners to attempt. This is where our QLD Workcover Surveillance Team has a distinct advantage.
How We Take the Process Further and Identify False Workcover Claims
Since our undercover operatives are unknown to your workforce in that role, they can easily infiltrate your employee community as new employees or contractors. In a matter of a few days, someone will say something that provides a lead. After further investigation including the doctor’s and the lawyer’s background, a brief discussion with the employee is usually sufficient to convince them to drop the case.
Please contact the QLD Covert Investigations Workcover Surveillance Team or dial 1300 553 788 to arrange an appointment with a specialist.
