Robert Cavazos of Fowler, Calif. has been arrested on 13 separate felony counts for his workers' comp. fraud scheme.
In March of 2008, the State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) received a workers' compensation claim from Cavazos for a left shoulder injury he suffered at his workplace, PPS Packaging. During treatment for his injury, Cavazos complained of mobility issues and limited range of motion.
A year into his treatment, his physician noticed some inconsistencies in Cavazos' complaints. The doctor notified the insurance carrier, who began taking video surveillance of the 38-year-old carrying and moving items with no problem in the shoulder. While his range of motion may not have been impaired, his knowledge of the capabilities of investigators must have been. Two physicians reviewed the tapes and determined that he had misrepresented the level of his injury, and had been choosing not to show them the full range of motion.
SCIF had paid out $23,818 in benefits to Cavazos, who was booked into the Fresno County Jail on Jan. 10, 2011. He faces charges for 12 counts of insurance fraud, one count of grand theft for filing false claims, and may face additional charges for possession of forged government documents. Bail was set at $75,000 for the current charges, but until it's posted, Cavazos will be shoulder to shoulder with his fellow criminals.
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