Note to our valued subscribers: Workers’ Comp Executive will be taking its annual holiday break starting Monday, December 21. We will resume daily publication Monday, January 4, 2021.
California: Simi Valley contractor pleads guilty to insurance fraud
A 53-year-old Simi Valley, California man last week pleaded guilty, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s office, to four counts of insurance fraud and four of unemployment insurance fraud. Misrepresenting the number of employees and the total payroll for the business resulted in underpayment of more than $176,000 in insurance premiums to State Compensation Insurance Fund, according to prosecutors. Separately, the owner of a Simi Valley roofing business also was arraigned on felony insurance fraud charges. Ventura County Star
Retired Florida deputy to settle PTSD workers’ comp claim for $120K
A retired, 53-year-old Volusia County sheriff’s deputy agreed to settle a workers’ compensation claim related to post-traumatic stress disorder with the county for $120,000. The former officer says that over the years he has dealt with PTSD, high blood pressure and heart disease, health problems he attributes to his work, and a heart attack. A 2018 state law expanded workers’ compensation for first responders dealing with PTSD in Florida. News-Journal
Q&A: Workers’ comp claim after life-threatening case of COVID-19
Question: I’m a registered nurse who almost died from COVID-19 respiratory failure. I work in a nursing home where other employees have been infected with COVID-19 and where patients have died due to COVID-19. I filed a workers’ compensation claim. My employer and their carrier are disputing the claim because I can’t prove I contracted COVID-19 at work. Who is looking after first responders? Anchorage Daily News
Israeli firm Next Insurance acquires Juniper Labs
Israeli Insurtech Unicorn Next Insurance announced the acquisition of U.S. startup Juniper Labs, which was founded last year and leverages open data and machine learning to build tools for streamlined data collection and automated underwriting. Geektime
New Jersey bill allowing some small businesses to forego workers’ comp advances
About three out of every 10 small businesses in New Jersey reportedly have closed during the course of the coronavirus crisis. Legislation advanced this week in the state assembly revises the definition of “employer” in workers’ compensation law and would allow partnerships that consist of two partners or S corporations with only one employee who is also the sole shareholder to avoid unnecessary coverage. Parsippany Focus