The following quotes from WFAA's Peabody Award winning series prove that Workers Comp Insurance Companies are engaged in the EXACT SAME practice of stripping of medical records and ignoring life threatening medical conditions that is being practiced by numerous Disability Insurance Companies as evidenced by the quotes from U.S. Judges quotes seen at www.godknowsobamaknows.blogspot.com
** Similar crimes are also being committed against injured War Zone Contractors as evidenced at www.defensebaseactcomp.wordpress.com
This exact quote was written by WFAA in their introduction to the series:
“Several stories detail possible fraud or questionable actions practiced by at least several major insurance carriers, but ignored and unpunished by regulators. The WFAA-TV series has revealed how some insurance companies send peer review doctors medical files "stripped" of records important to the possible approval of workers' comp claims. Those peer review doctors who routinely deny care receive lucrative contracts, while those who approve care fail to be rehired.”
(end of quotes)
It is extremely sad that one installation of WFAA’s investigation tells the story of a remarkable number of Texans who had committed suicide because they could no longer endure the pain caused by their injuries and they had been repeatedly turned down for worker's comp care.
It is extremely sad that one installation of WFAA’s investigation tells the story of a remarkable number of Texans who had committed suicide because they could no longer endure the pain caused by their injuries and they had been repeatedly turned down for worker's comp care.
WFAA also writes the following regarding criminal prosecutions of insurance companies in Texas:
“the number of insurance companies referred since 2000? Zero.”
WFAA revealed that the Texas Workers Comp Commissioner was a former insurance company lobbyist, and when he denied that WFAA showed his lobbyist business card !!!! HE LATER RESIGNED !!
WFAA has removed the old link I had to their series, but I found the following link.
You will need to scroll down the linked webpage to be able to access each of the 19 parts.
I also have proof that the exact same failure to prosecute Workers Comp insurance companies is happening in Tennessee.
When I got eye cancer and first learned about the tortuous treatment of injured and disabled workers, I learned that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations Special Worker’s Comp Fraud Unit NEVER CONVICTED ONE EMPLOYER OR INSURANCE COMPANY THAT ENDANGERED INJURED WORKERS LIVES.
I was so concerned I bought a tape recorder and recorded two State of Tennessee Workers Comp employees who said many crimes were being committed against injured workers.
I still remember the very sad case of injured worker Dean Weidner that was featured on Nashville TV stations.
Dean was about 30 years old when he fell through the loading dock of his employer. He was denied Workers Comp medical treatment and had to lay in bed because of the pain from his herniated disks.
He was in bed so long he got a blood clot that went to his heart and had a stroke, and the last I heard, at the age of 30, he was in Vanderbilt intensive care being fed through a tube.
What happened to Dean Weidner is not isolated, it is occurring on a widespread basis nationwide
Zero convictions of insurance companies in Tennessee and Texas Workers Comp cases proves a nationwide pattern of protection of insurance company crimes. In the 9 years the Tennessee Special Workers Comp Fraud Unit (with their staff of 11) existed there were absolutely zero convictions of insurance companies or employers.
After repeatedly questioning the T.B.I., I received a letter that stated :
“So far, only employees have been successfully prosecuted. However that does not mean we only investigate employee fraud. We also present the referrals on employers, insurance agents, doctors, lawyers etc."
When I first discovered there were zero business prosecutions I went to the state capitol and handed out a two page summary of evidence. The T.B.I. web pages that I referred to were immediately removed from the website.
As mentioned the U.S. Judges quotes seen at www.godknowsobamaknows.blogspot.com prove disability insurance companies are also engaged in the EXACT same practice of stripping medical records from files and ignoring life threatening medical conditions !!!!!!!!!!!
Sincerely,
Barry Schmittou
barryschmittou@live.com
