Quote of the day
"You can't steal from the owner of property if they give you permission to use it." Bill Wilkinson, attorney for Ohio coin dealer Tom Noe, in opening statements in his client's trial on charges of stealing from a $50 million rare-coin fund he managed on behalf of the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation
Mold Claim Not Barred by Workers’ Comp Exclusivity
An injured worker can go forward with a lawsuit alleging that Costco Wholesale Corp. fraudulently concealed information about the presence of toxic mold on its property, the California First District Court of Appeals rules, on grounds that the complaint qualifies for an exception to workers’ compensation exclusivity. By Robert Ceniceros, Business Insurance
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She Collected Comp While Playing Pro Football, Say Prosecutors
A state employee who worked at a Connecticut reform school is nabbed for allegedly collecting workers’ compensation for a job-related injury while playing in the National Women’s Football Association. The 34-year-old woman played in all games this season, including one in which she made 10 tackles, according to prosecutors. By AP via Boston Globe
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N.Y. Teacher Charged with Making Fraudulent Cancer Claims
A former Albany, N.Y.-area special education teacher who allegedly faked having terminal breast cancer to collect benefits is indicted on charges that she attempted to steal $111,000 from the New York Teachers’ Retirement System and took $4,000 from a local school district after collecting health insurance benefits and going on permanent disability. By Anne Miller, Albany Times Union
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Prosecutors Say Noe’s Political Connections Got Him BWC Business
In opening statements in the embezzlement case against Ohio coin dealer Tom Noe, prosecutors contend the prominent Republican and GOP contributor persuaded the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to fund the investment with his debt-burdened firm. Noe’s lawyers counter that agency officials did nothing to prevent the coin dealer’s questionable transactions and even gave him a second $25 million to invest.
By Mike Wilkinson and Steve Eder, Toledo Blade [With Photo]
Go to the full story by Mark Niquette, Columbus Dispatch [With Photo]
Coingate Effect: Blade Backs Democrat Dann for AG
After the Toledo Blade exposed corruption in the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation in 2005, state Sen. Mark Dann, a Democrat from the Youngstown area, was among few legislators in the state General Assembly to speak out forcefully to further uncover the “Coingate” scandal. As a result, the Blade is “emphatically” endorsing him in his run for Ohio attorney general. Toledo Blade [With Photo] Go to the Full Story…
False Workers’ Comp Claims Carry Hidden Costs
A single false workers’ compensation claim can have a major impact on the premium and the annual renewal cost than an employer must pay. Ferret (Australia)
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Rescue Boat Maker Disputes Study of Health Problems
A manufacturer of rigid-hulled inflatable boats disagrees with a Canadian study that investigated the effect of the vessels on the backs of operators navigating in rough seas. The Canadian Coast Guard ordered the study after a sailor won a workers’ compensation claim for hip problems he alleged were aggravated by the pounding of a RHIB against the waves. By Deen Beeby, CP via London Free Press
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