Waitress | Felony Insurance Fraud Charges Filed.

Los Angeles County, Calif., March 13, 2019 — This case involves a 40-year-old female Waitress who began working for the insured on January 2, 2014. On November 30, 2014, the claimant reported a slip-and-fall injury while working. The claim was accepted and benefits were initiated.

Throughout the course of the claim, the claimant reported significant pain and limitations, causing treating physicians to render her Temporarily Totally Disabled. Additionally, she denied engaging in any employment activities subsequent to the date of loss.

Surveillance investigations found the claimant to be engaged in self-employment activities at her food truck, along with her fiancé who had also worked for the insured and filed a workers’ compensation claim (fiancé was previously charged with insurance fraud on October 19, 2016). In the claimant’s deposition, she explicitly denied any income or working activities whatsoever since leaving the insured. After reviewing the films, the Primary Treating Physician changed his opinion, noting that he had only placed claimant on TTD status due to her ongoing complaints of 9/10 pain. He noted that, contrary to her complaints, the video showed her standing and working at her taco truck with no obvious impairment.

SIU prepared and submitted a full Documented Referral Package to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on December 17, 2015. Felony Criminal charges were filed on July 17, 2018. Artiga was arrested and subsequently arraigned on September 6, 2018, at which time she pled “not guilty” to all counts. The final restitution figure is pending conviction, but is estimated to be around approximately $39,000.00.