EPIC Names Dunn VP of Workers’ Comp Claims in Central California

October 19, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticle1 Comments

Edgewood Partners Insurance Center named Joe Dunn vice president of workers’ compensation claims in its Fresno, Calif. office.

Dunn will be responsible for workers’ comp claims advocacy, and he will work with EPIC’s Central Valley clients to manage and reduce claims expense, including providing education and training, investigating and overseeing claims and establishing best practices for claims cost control. He will also coordinate and oversee insurance carrier services, ensuring case reserves are not excessive, and he will be charged with ensuring that claims are effectively.

Dunn has 11 years of experience in workers’ compensation, settlement negotiation, and Medicare.

Before EPIC, Dunn worked as a senior workers’ comp claims adjuster for the State Compensation Insurance Fund.

EPIC has a staff of 300 employees working from eight offices across California: Los Angeles, Irvine, Fresno, Folsom, San Francisco, San Mateo, Petaluma and San Ramon.

Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: West NewsTopics: Edgewood Partners Insurance Center, Joe Dunn, people photo availableHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

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Best Agency to Work For: South Central

October 4, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

This year six agencies in all received top honors as a Best Agency to Work For. The Best Agencies to Work For in 2012 include: Bryan Insurance Agency, Graham, Texas; Meyer & Cook Insurance, Walnut Grove, California; Walker Myers Insurance & Risk Management, Austin, Texas; Herbie Wiles Insurance, St. Augustine, Florida; Hausmann-Johnson Insurance, Madison, Wisconsin; American Insurance Services, Clark, New Jersey.

Insurance Journal wishes to thank the many customer service representatives, account executives, producers, managers and other agency staff who took the time to nominate their independent insurance agency in this year’s survey.

Right People, Right Fit Makes a Great PlaceAustin, Texas
Walker Myers Insurance

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Father and Daughter in Central Calif. Workers’ Comp. Fraud Must Repay Over $600K

October 5, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

Jerry Buffington, 69, and Cynthia Russell, 47, have pled guilty in Kern County Superior Court to one count each of workers’ compensation insurance premium fraud and eight counts each of tax evasion and were ordered to pay restitution to California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund in the amount of $475,100 and $127,899 to the Employment Development Department.

Both have been ordered to serve 10 years’ probation.

According to detectives from the California Department of Insurance Fraud Division, Buffington was the owner and president of Safehome Inc., and Buffington’s daughter, Cynthia Russell, was the chief financial officer.

Their guilty pleas are a result of an investigation led by CDI’s Fraud Division while working with the San Joaquin Valley Premium Fraud Task Force.

In 2007 State Fund discovered Safehome Inc. was underreporting their employee payroll to avoid paying the proper premium. An audit was completed and indicated that Safehome Inc. had failed to pay the proper premiums for their workers’ compensation policy in the amount of $477,285. Additionally, State Fund determined the business was operating out of its classification, which was registered as an alarm company, yet several employees were operating as roofers. The payroll related to the roofing portion of the business was never reported to either SCIF or EDD, according to investigators.

During the investigation a separate set of payroll records was located and corroborated the evidence that the business had not reported payroll to SCIF and EDD as required. The task force investigated the case and filed a complaint with the Kern County District Attorney’s Office, which charged the two with insurance fraud and tax evasion.

Buffington was convicted of one felony count for violating 11880(a) of the insurance code Section, false or fraudulent statement, four felony counts for violating unemployment insurance code Section 2117.5, failure to file return or report, and four felony counts for violating unemployment insurance code Section 2118.5, failure to collect or pay taxes.

 

Russell was convicted of one felony count for false or fraudulent statement, four felony counts for failure to file return or report, and four felony counts for failure to collect or pay taxes. In addition, she was ordered to perform 400 hours of community service.

Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: West NewsTopics: California, insurance premium, premium fraud, State Compensation Insurance Fund, workers' compensationHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

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Central Valley Calif. Grape Grower Sued By Workers

April 12, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

A Hispanic advocacy group is suing a Central Valley grape grower to recover wages for Latino employees it claims were forced to work extra hours without pay.

The Mexican American Legal Defense Fund filed the class-action lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Fresno against Castlerock Farming and Transport Inc.

The suit seeks a court order stopping the alleged illegal practice and the payment of wages and other benefits denied to more than 5,000 workers over the past 11 years.

The suit also alleges Castlerock failed to properly pay minimum wage to hourly workers, refused to provide paid rest breaks and failed to provide meal breaks to employees who work at least five hours.

A Castlerock spokeswoman says the company has not yet seen the suit and could not comment.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: West NewsTopics: lawsuit, Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, minimum wage.Have a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

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