When one files a workers' compensation claim against an employer, it is helpfulif he or she actually works for said employer, because otherwisethe chance of getting away with free medical care and narcotics isa lot less likely.

Jeff Davis, the owner of Davis Trucking in Middletown, Ohio,assisted his girlfriend, Tabitha Taylor, in filing a workers' compclaim with the trucking company. The claim stated that Taylor hadsustained an injury on the job, but the Ohio Bureau for Workers'Compensation (BWC) felt that something just was not right with theclaim.

That assumption was correct. Taylor had in fact never beenemployed by Davis Trucking. After BWC investigation, Davis didadmit that he was the “mastermind”behind the false claim, and Taylor agreed. The hope had been toobtain free medical care for Taylor and narcotics for them both.The irony of the situation is that the injury Taylor had sustainedwas actually the result of a domestic dispute between Taylor and anex-boyfriend.

Davis was sentenced this June to a 10-month suspended prisonsentence followed by five years of community control. Taylorreceived a 180-day suspended sentence and five years of communitycontrol as well. The two are jointly liable for paying $8,064.07 in restitution as well as $4,000 ininvestigative costs.

Although Davis and Taylor are receiving punishment for theirproven criminal ways, the community might also need to controlTaylor's ex-boyfriend.