Farmworker Accused of Faking ID and Injury Claim

Friday, December 21, 2018 | 0

A Southern California farmworker was arrested Wednesday on four felony charges of insurance fraud, perjury and identity theft after she allegedly filed a claim for an injury that occurred before she had started to work for the employer.

Authorities in Ventura County arrested Maria Cortez, 57, of Oxnard, when she showed up for a medical appointment, Intercare Holdings Insurance Services said.

Cortez was hired by Laguna Farms, a partner with Reiter Affiliated Cos. in Oxnard, on June 5, 2016. On Aug. 30, 2016, her attorney filed a notice of claim alleging that she had injured her shoulders, hips, legs, knees and feet while working on June 2, Intercare said.

Cortez testified that she started work on June 2, not June 5. She also denied any prior injuries or accidents.

But Intercare said it uncovered at least six prior claims for workplace injuries, all of which had been settled via compromise and release. What’s more, the special investigations unit said Cortez had used the Social Security number of a person living in Oregon when filing the claim.

Intercare said a qualified medical examiner had reported in January 2017 that Cortez suffered a 10% whole person impairment from her injury at Laguna Farms and that she had no prior injuries. But the QME later testified that Cortez was less than honest about her prior claims and modified his report to attribute 50% of her impairment to her prior injuries “if the injury actually occurred,” Intercare said.

A workers’ compensation judge dismissed Cortez’s claim on March 6. 

Cortez remained incarcerated at the Ventura County Jail on Thursday.