Thinkstock
Ehstoday 2825 Towtruck
Ehstoday 2825 Towtruck
Ehstoday 2825 Towtruck
Ehstoday 2825 Towtruck
Ehstoday 2825 Towtruck

Tow Truck Driver Got Carried Away, Is Ordered to Repay Benefits

Feb. 14, 2017
A Washington man claiming a head injury prevented him from working was discovered driving a tow truck while collecting workers’ compensation benefits.

A service technician who claimed he was too injured to work but who got a job driving a tow truck pleaded guilty Feb. 10 for running a workers’ compensation scam.

Kyle Valle, 30, of Algona, Wash., pleaded guilty to felony, second-degree theft in King County Superior Court. Judge Hollis R. Hill sentenced Valle to 20 days in jail, but allowed the jail time to be converted to 160 hours of community service. Hill also ordered Valle to repay the state $12,585, the amount of disability benefits he wrongfully received.

The Washington Attorney General prosecuted the case, based on an investigation by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I).

“It’s shameful that people try to take advantage of the system that helps legitimately injured workers heal and get back to work,” said Elizabeth Smith, L&I’s assistant director of Fraud Prevention & Labor Standards. “Stealing workers’ comp money raises costs for the businesses and employees who support the system − and it’s just not fair. That’s why L&I is committed to finding workers’ comp scammers, and holding them accountable.”

Records Check Triggered L&I Investigation

Valle was working as a service technician for a waterproofing company when he hit his head on a support joist in Kirkland, Wash., in May 2014. Valle filed a workers' compensation claim, and medical providers verified his head and neck injuries prevented him from working full time.

An L&I check of Employment Security Department records, however, found that he was employed, even though he declared on official forms that he couldn’t work – and wasn’t working – due to his on-the-job injury.

Further investigation determined that Valle had worked as a tow truck driver for a used-car dealership in Seattle from September 2014 through early June 2015.

Sponsored Recommendations

3 Essential Elements for a Strong Safety Culture

March 13, 2024
Organizations globally have increased their attention on safety culture: trying to figure out what it really is and the aspects that are necessary to develop and sustain it. And...

Making the Case for Occupational Health Software

March 13, 2024
Deciding to invest in Occupational Health (OH) software can be a challenging leap for many organizations. This article will equip businesses with insightful strategies for effectively...

Fighting the Flu: Solutions for the Workplace

March 13, 2024
Seasonal flu continues to wreak considerable havoc both on individual wellness, as well as on our business continuity and productivity. Explore these solutions for protecting ...

Preventing SIFs with Digitization: Reduce Serious Injuries and Fatalities with Technology

March 13, 2024
This eBook discusses the origins of SIF prevention, outlines principles, models and tools available to EHS leaders to better detect and address SIF potential in their business...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!