Texas Mutual Announces Workers’ Comp Fraud Conviction

Texas Mutual Insurance Co. reported that a Travis County district court sentenced Martin DeLaRosa of Denton, Texas, on workers’ compensation fraud-related charges. DeLaRosa was sentenced to brief jail time and ordered to repay $1,647 in benefits to Texas Mutual.

DeLaRosa reported a job-related injury while working as a truck driver for Texas Environmental Management of Justin, Texas. He claimed he was unable to work as a result of the injury, and Texas Mutual began paying income benefits to him.

Meanwhile, Texas Mutual uncovered evidence that DeLaRosa was working as a car salesman for a Denton car dealership while receiving income benefits.

Investigators call this type of scam double-dipping because the claimant collects benefits for being too injured to work when he or she is, in fact, gainfully employed. Texas law requires claimants to contact their workers’ comp carrier when they return to work. Left unchecked, double-dipping and other workers’ comp fraud can lead to higher premiums for all Texas employers.

Source: Texas Mutual Insurance Co.