| Workers Compensation costs are a crisis for US | | | | going down. And this is why they provide extra |
| businesses today. Many states have passed | | | | low gearing on the vehicles recommended for this |
| major reforms to try to ease the burden on | | | | road. Thank goodness I had all the film I needed, |
| businesses. One reason Workers Comp costs are | | | | because it was now necessary, actually vital, that |
| so high is because of fraud. Some people claim | | | | I concentrated on bringing my rental vehicle back |
| they are completely disabled, and collect monthly | | | | instead of leaving it several thousand feet down |
| disability checks, when they are actually | | | | the vertical cliff on the right. |
| completely able to work or do other physical | | | | "After a few miles, I was thinking that I was |
| activity. Insurance fraud is against the law, and it | | | | getting the hang of this and would live until |
| hurts everyone by raising insurance premiums. | | | | tomorrow. Then, while negotiating a small stream |
| ( sponsored by independent investigators David | | | | that crossed the mule trail and drops off the |
| Morse & Associates, gives information and | | | | edge into oblivion, I got a flat tire. As I got out of |
| resources on how to fight insurance fraud. The | | | | the vehicle and stepped into 6 inches of freezing |
| site also features stories of successful | | | | cold water, I realized that I was still suffering |
| investigations that have resulted in the bust of a | | | | from oxygen deprivation, quickly found a place to |
| fraud perpetrator. And when a fraud perpetrator | | | | sit down as far from the edge as possible and |
| is busted, that helps to bring insurance premiums | | | | put my head between my knees. |
| down. | | | | "For those of you who have not experienced the |
| Over the years, David Morse & Associates | | | | attempt to breathe at 12,000 feet above sea |
| investigators have been led on many unusual | | | | level, let me give you a brief description. The |
| excursions by subjects in the course of their | | | | body feels very heavy, there are pains |
| personal activities, unaware that they had | | | | everywhere, particularly the head and heart, and |
| investigative company. But this case exceeds all | | | | one wonders how a function like breathing that |
| others in both altitude and difficulty. | | | | one took for granted suddenly became an |
| Fraud Busting at 12,000 Feet | | | | Olympic competition. |
| Andy Schwarz, Investigations Manager Los | | | | "After some minutes of sitting there it came to |
| Angeles | | | | me that I had to change this tire. But I was too |
| "Our subject had been collecting benefits for | | | | exhausted to even look for the jack, let alone get |
| some time based on his assertion of total | | | | it out of the car. Slowly it dawned on me that I |
| disability. I started in Denver at the subject's | | | | was in trouble and toward the end of afternoon it |
| address. Turned out his wife was there, but the | | | | is going to get really, really cold. Just then another |
| male individual we got on film was not the | | | | off road vehicle came down the hill and stopped. |
| subject. Too bad we weren't doing divorce work - | | | | The driver and passengers offered to help which |
| I could have closed the file. | | | | I thankfully accepted. They changed my tire and |
| "A canvass of the neighborhood turned up the | | | | cheerfully sent me on my way down in front of |
| fact that the subject was living in the mountains | | | | them. |
| five hours west of Denver. I arrived late that | | | | "It seemed like the worst must be over. But then |
| afternoon and immediately obtained film of the | | | | I hit the switchbacks, hairpin turns in the road as |
| subject working under an old car, crouching, | | | | it snakes down a place where no road should |
| crawling, bending and lifting objects of varying | | | | ever go. I made the first, but on the second I |
| weight and size. Our subject was looking pretty | | | | went into it just a hair too fast and the back end |
| spry. | | | | of the jeep got loose, finding gravel over near the |
| "I quit at dusk and return the next morning. Our | | | | edge. The hair on my arms was standing straight |
| subject and friends depart in a jeep and head out | | | | up as I planned a leap from the jeep - and then it |
| of town. And then uphill, a very steep hill on a | | | | stopped. Even after catching my breath, no easy |
| very old and tattered dirt road. Fortunately the | | | | task at this altitude, I could not bring myself to |
| subject and myself were not the only ones | | | | start back down. |
| putting our vehicles through their paces on this | | | | "My benefactors from the tire changing in the |
| mountain trail, and I could follow without appearing | | | | stream showed up moments later. From the |
| out of place. | | | | position of the jeep and my very pale |
| "I had rented a jeep for this assignment and I | | | | complexion, they know exactly what happened. |
| was thinking that was a particularly brilliant move | | | | An older gentleman from the party took control, |
| on my part. I found out later that standard issue | | | | offered to drive me down the hill, and I was |
| jeeps and other 4-wheel-drive models are not | | | | saved. It was during this part of the trip that I |
| recommended for this trail, only vehicles fitted | | | | learned we have just crossed Black Bear Pass, |
| with special protective plates underneath and | | | | one of the more difficult off-road adventures |
| special low gearing in order to ease wear and tear | | | | available in the United States, and one which kills |
| on the brakes coming down. But as we started | | | | four or five people every year. I learned about |
| up I was oblivious to my under-equipped condition. | | | | the modifications made to vehicles to be used in |
| "As we proceeded the road was getting worse | | | | such adventures. And of course I learned a lot |
| but I was getting great film of the subject's | | | | about my benefactors, a family that makes the |
| vehicle performing superbly in difficult conditions | | | | trek twice a year and has been doing so for 15 |
| and rattling its contents (including the subject) | | | | or 20 years. |
| severely. I got film of stops at look-outs and our | | | | "Someone put the oxygen back into the air and I |
| subject's confident maneuvers on foot over, | | | | found my disposition remarkably improved. I was |
| around and on large rocks. | | | | alive and without broken bones, and the pains in |
| "The road was now a mule trail with a sheer drop | | | | the head and muscles were distant memories. |
| off on one side, cliffs on the other. It was getting | | | | The car rental company did not notice the |
| very cold and I was having trouble with the thin | | | | permanent indentations my fingers left in the |
| air. Turning the wheel felt like hauling a | | | | steering wheel. Life is good. Best of all, I had film |
| hundred-pound sack from side to side. | | | | and the subject is well and truly busted." |
| "Just when I thought conditions cannot get worse, | | | | Another victory for truth, justice and lower |
| they did. We started down hill. It turns out that | | | | insurance premiums. |
| going up was a walk in the park compared to | | | | |