Disability fraud can sometimes be difficult to detect because many types of injuries that can prevent a person from working are not always obvious based on outward appearances. Most people collecting disability are not bedridden nor confined to a wheelchair. For this reason, it takes a professional investigator to uncover evidence of fraud.
One way people commit fraud is collecting money after the disability is gone. Not all disabilities are permanent, so this can be quite easy to commit. This type of fraud isn’t always planned ahead of time. An individual may begin collecting payments legitimately, but after the condition heals, the easy money of a disability check is too tempting to say no to. We have the experience to know how to uncover the information needed and analyze it to determine if an individual should no longer be eligible for disability.
Another way to commit disability fraud, which is without a doubt the number one tactic in use, is to simply fake an injury. This is also easier than you might think. This is because the amount of pain a person feels is impossible to determine, since even a doctor can be unsure of exactly how severe an injury is. Looking at an X-ray, a doctor may be able to evaluate the physical status of a person, but whether this is enough to prevent someone from working can be a subjective judgment depending on the injury and its symptoms.
This is especially true with injuries which lack physical evidence and the only information the doctor can use is the patient’s own account of what happened and how they are feeling. However, with a thorough investigation using techniques such as surveillance, we are able to determine what physical work an individual is capable of doing. If this is not compatible with the disability claim, it is likely that fraud exists.
Although we have a number of tools in our private investigator toolbox, it is video surveillance that produces the clearest evidence against someone committing fraud. If someone is lifting a new television and moving it into their home but claims they can’t lift more than a couple of pounds, then you have evidence of fraud.
Another example is recording an individual engaged in a recreational activity that shouldn’t be possible with the physical disability he or she claims to have. We have the skills to place a fraud suspect under surveillance without them knowing it. If they are not as hurt as they claim, we will find this out for you.
No matter who you suspect of fraud, we have the experience and ability to thoroughly document the truth with solid evidence. We will be able to determine if your suspicions are correct, and if they are, we will document the fraud in such a way that legal action can be taken against the individual. When you are ready to start your investigation, contact us for a free quote or fill out an investigation request form to get started on your investigation right away.
Bruce Robertson
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