A former employee of the United States Post Office was recently convicted of health insurance fraud by a district court in Florida, after she was determined to have participated in the Boston Marathon and more than 80 other long distance foot races while collecting worker’s compensation payments for an injured back. The woman was also charged with and found guilty of making falsified statements. In total her prison sentence may be up to 15 years, though she does not face sentencing until the end of July. The woman initially complained of suffering lower back pain in May of 2009. In response,, her employers relived her of mail carrying duty and assigned her a less strenuous work load so as not to aggravate her back condition. Photos and videos soon began to appear, however, of the woman competing in long distance races, including a triathlon. After her original back pain complaint, records show her race times improving. The United States District Court found the woman guilty of health care fraud. Recently, other race participants have been caught deceiving the public as well, including a London marathon winner who was disqualified after it was discovered he had ridden a public bus for a large portion of the race instead of running it. In a publicized twist of fate, the man recently found employment working as a bus engineer. Another man recently ran 13 miles on a treadmill being transported by hot air balloon, but was not participating in a competition when he did so.
worker’s compensation
New Guide to Prevent Work-Related Construction Injuries
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, in cooperation with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health have issued a new set of guidelines to help those in the construction industry avoid work-related nail gun accidents and injuries, according to news sources.
The text, called Nail Gun Safety: A Guide for Construction Contractors, is expected to “help construction employers make necessary changes to improve nail gun safety and protect their workers from preventable injuries and death,” according to the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
Nail gun injuries currently make up 37,000 of the emergency room visits that occur each year. Though they are relatively simple in design, injuries and sometimes deaths can occur while using nail guns. Sometimes nails bounce off a surface and fly somewhere they were not intended to, which can easily pierce a worker.
As a Los Angeles wrongful death attorney, safety in the workplace is important to me and I’m glad to see this federal agency is taking steps to prevent injury and death. In my experience as a personal injury lawyer, I know that many accidents in the workplace can be prevented if proper safety guidelines are followed. I hope this new text will prevent injuries in the construction industry.
Posted in: Construction Accident, Nail Gun Safety, Personal Injury, personal injury lawyer, Safety, work-related injury, worker's compensation, workplace injury, Wrongful Death
Tags: a-surface-and, assistant, construction, guidelines-are, injuries in the workplace, many-accidents, nail gun safety, occupational, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death