Nevada County is among 42 counties that are once again getting a state grant to more effectively prosecute workers compensation fraud. They are also one of the smallest counties to receive money. District Attorney Cliff Newell says it’s only their third year of the program. This year’s 73-thousand dollar grant funds one investigator for what he calls a very robust effort, which also includes educating people before prosecuting them, where possible…

click to listen to Cliff Newell

Newell says they’re just getting up to their full effectiveness. They had three to four cases in the first year and six during the second year. But they’ve already had seven so far this year…

click to listen to Cliff Newell

Newell says the focus is on three types of workers comp fraud. One is where a health care provider falsifies documents, along with an employee. Another involves employers misrepresenting the type of work an employee does, in order to get higher payments. But, as you might expect, the most common type is where workers fake an on-the-job injury, or the severity of it, in order to get larger compensation… and for longer periods of time.