Ask any business owner and he or she will tell you that insurance is not just about general business, professional and employee property or liability coverage. Generally, it is legally required for a business to purchase workers’ compensation coverage so that employees can claim benefits in the event of a work-related injury.

So it’s a fact: workers’ compensation is a big factor in any company’s insurance portfolio.

The problem lies when a worker files a fraudulent claim. And, unfortunately, it happens quite often. But contrary to what many believe, workers’ compensation fraud not only affects companies and bosses, and employees who lead life in a totally honest way, it also affects the phony. File a false workers’ compensation claim and risk losing your job, spending time behind bars, and paying expensive fines. Trust the industry – crime, when it comes to workers’ compensation, surely doesn’t pay!

Here are some examples of employees who thought they could make some money while cheating the system. In the long run, the deception turned against them.

False Workers’ Compensation Claim: Real Scenarios

1. Marc worked as a gardener. One day, he slipped and fell at work. Complaining of the associated pain that left him unable to continue working, Marc filed a claim for workers’ compensation. The process was fairly straightforward and it didn’t take long for Marc to start receiving his disability benefits. However, unbeknownst to Marc, the insurance company was on his trail. After seeing surveillance video showing Marc actively gardening for two other properties, Marc was called to the task. Not only would his disability checks be reduced, but he was sentenced to four months in jail and ordered to pay more than $ 39,000 in fines.

2. Jack complained about injuries he sustained on the job. He said the resulting back pain made it impossible to continue his employment. Jack told the attending physician that he had not experienced any pain prior to his work injuries. It didn’t take long for insurance to provide proof that Jack was lying about his inability to work. The surveillance camera caught him working as a landscaper at the family business following the claim he made, which resulted in a 3-year prison term and a $ 14,500 fine.

3. Sarah filed a workers’ compensation claim after sustaining back and leg injuries while climbing a slope at the company’s outdoor facility. When applying, Sarah did not take into account the capacity of the insurance company’s investigation department. The department’s painstaking work uncovered the true nature of the injuries: The injuries had occurred before the date stated on the claim, and so were the conversations coworkers had with her about them. Sarah was given 120 days in jail, plus 5 years of probation, plus a $ 28,000 fine!