The “injured” worker claimed a cumulative trauma work injury to his shoulder and leg, doing construction work.
Lots of subjective complaints, without objective findings. He was missing physical therapy appointments. He had an attorney, so a face-to-face discussion about his recovery was not an option. The employer suspected he was working elsewhere. Time for surveillance.
Our investigator started early on a Thursday morning, finding an HVAC work truck parked out front. Optimism for a busy day is tempered with the reality that heating and A/C work is almost always done indoors or behind a fence, leaving little to show a doctor.
The claimant was followed on four Los Angeles freeways for 45 minutes, showing up at a shop to load supplies. Another amazing hour and 20 minutes of tailing the truck through toll roads and city streets, he arrived in a residential neighborhood. We were able to capture a half hour of video of the claimant lifting a furnace out of the back of the truck to get it onto a dolly to bring inside the home. And then he hauled out old one, dismantled it and loaded into the back of the truck. His shoulder and leg are obviously at 100%. Friday, he worked inside, installing insulation. He put in a full day Saturday as well.
With our evidence, the injured worker received no workers’ compensation or healthcare.