Columbus, OH – A Lucas County truck driver was sentenced in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas July 26 following an investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation that found he worked for three trucking companies while receiving workplace injury benefits.
Donald Rasmussen, of Holland, raised suspicion with a BWC claims service specialist in 2011 when he requested two years of retroactive temporary total disability benefits. The CSS reported that Rasmussen was a truck driver at the time of his injury and questioned whether he worked during the new period of benefits that he requested.
Rasmussen claimed he had not worked since 2009, however, BWC’s Special Investigations Department obtained evidence showing he did in fact work as a truck driver for three different truck owners. He was able to obtain benefits he was not entitled to receive by failing to to notify BWC, his treating physicians or managed care organization that he returned to work.
Rasmussen pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of workers’ compensation fraud and was sentenced to sixty days in jail, suspended provided he has no convictions for one year. Rasmussen repaid $29,720.39 in restitution to BWC prior to his plea.
Source: Ohio BWC SID