HOUSTON MAN INDICTED:

Texas Mutual Insurance Company reported that Travis County’s 147th District Court grand jury indicted Henry Prince of Houston for workers’ compensation fraud-related charges. The insurer said Prince allegedly used a “double-dipping” scam to illegally receive approximately $3,400 in temporary income benefits (TIBs). State law allows some injured workers to receive TIBs when their on-the-job injuries prevent them from returning to work. The law also requires each worker to notify the workers’ compensation insurance carrier when he or she begins working again. Double-dipping scams involve allegedly injured workers who claim that they are unable to work—so they can continue to receive TIBs—when in fact they are working, usually for a new employer. In effect, they get paid twice: once for working at a new job and again for being too hurt to work. With every TIBs check it issues, Texas Mutual includes a statement reminding the worker to contact the adjuster if he or she returns to full-time or part-time work. Additionally, Texas Mutual adjusters often contact workers directly to determine their work status.

Topics Texas Workers' Compensation