Illinois Begins Probe of Prison’s Workers’ Comp Claims

Illinois state insurance fraud officials have launched an investigation of a southwestern Illinois prison where nearly $10 million in worker’s compensation and paid medical leave have been paid out to more than half the staff over the past three years.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports that the Illinois Department of Insurance’s inquiry involving the Menard Correctional Center in Chester follows its recent stories raising questions about the taxpayer-funded settlements to workers there.

The newspaper has reported that since January 2008 that at least $10 million in awards and payments for medical leave have been made in about 225 settled cases.

A total of 389 Menard guards and other workers have filed more than 500 claims.

The state’s corrections department has said it isn’t involved in the claims.