Posted on 02/20/2005 7:02:14 PM PST by NormsRevenge
As one state department pursued a fraud case against a former prison correctional officer who it claimed had exaggerated his workplace injuries, the state's retirement system granted him a special pension for life.
The Department of Corrections, Greg Nelson's one-time employer, says that at age 47 he claimed he hurt his back and neck in a workplace fall, only to find a new job operating heavy machinery at forest fires for as long as 14 hours at a stretch.
But as investigators assembled their case against Nelson, the state's retirement system awarded him a medical pension, agreeing that his injuries prevented him from working as a correctional officer.
--snip--
Nelson, now 49, claims that he sustained his injuries in May 2002 after slipping on some stairs while serving meals to prisoners in their cells at Pelican Bay State Prison. He hurt himself when he grabbed a rail to break his fall, according to his application for workers' compensation benefits.
The Department of Corrections became suspicious when it got a tip that Nelson was operating heavy machinery at forest fires in Oregon. Investigators from the department's workers' compensation fraud unit say they eventually caught Nelson on videotape putting in 12-to 14-hour days on the fires.
The department can prove fraud if a worker is documented doing things at odds with the physical restrictions that formed the basis of his or her workers' comp claim, said Anthony Chaus, who was special agent in charge of the fraud unit when the Nelson case was put together.
--snip--
The department says Nelson obtained more than $50,000 in workers' compensation benefits, in addition to the medical pension, including treatment, temporary disability leave and vocational rehabilitation.
Nelson's attorney is adamant that he did nothing wrong.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
It's a miracle, I tellya, a miracle.
And the people who gave him that pension can follow him.
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