The act of closely monitoring an individual receiving benefits due to a workplace injury or illness, initiated to gather information about the legitimacy and extent of their claim, is a practice employed within the workers’ compensation system. For instance, a claimant alleging a back injury might be observed performing activities inconsistent with their reported limitations.
This monitoring serves a crucial function in fraud prevention and cost containment within the workers’ compensation system. By verifying the claimant’s actual activities, it helps ensure that benefits are paid appropriately and that resources are not misallocated. Historically, such investigations were less common, but increased concerns about fraudulent claims have led to their greater utilization.
