Case Overview
The owner of an Atascocita, Texas construction firm faced a daunting financial future. An employee had filed a workers’ compensation claim for a herniated disc — backed by MRI results and a doctor’s order for total disability — that entitled him to $3,000 a month and threatened years of payments. Suspecting the claim was fabricated, the owner retained Terrance Private Investigator and Associates to conduct a two-week surveillance investigation and uncover the truth.
The Challenge
A doctor’s note can be manipulated, but proving fraud takes more than a hunch. Several red flags surrounded this claim: the injury surfaced shortly after the employee was passed over for a promotion, and a deleted social media post showed him active at a Kingwood barbecue. To deny the claim, the company needed evidence that would hold up in a court of law. Our client faced several obstacles:
- Medical legitimacy — a genuine MRI showing a disc issue made it easy to sell the injury to doctors and adjusters
- Calculated deception — the “claims-savvy” subject used a cane and limped dramatically at every public appearance
- High financial stakes — a projected payout exceeding $200,000 in medical and indemnity costs
- Detection risk — a vigilant subject requiring a discreet, multi-vehicle surveillance team
2 Weeks
Surveillance Investigation
4 Days
Roofing Labor Documented
$200K+
Fraud Liability Erased
$18,000
Restitution Ordered
The Investigation
Two weeks. Two phases. Every movement documented on high-definition video.
During the first week, our team documented the subject’s public persona. He used a cane to walk into a doctor’s office, then was filmed later that same day at a grocery store carrying heavy bags with a full, normal range of motion.
In the second week, we followed the subject from Atascocita to a residential job site in Pasadena. For four consecutive days we documented him working a side job as a roofer — climbing 30-foot ladders more than 25 times a day, carrying heavy bundles of shingles onto steep roofs, and kneeling, bending, and using a pneumatic nail gun for 8+ hours straight.
We documented the subject limping into a Friday morning medical appointment with a cane, only to drive directly to the Pasadena job site 15 minutes later and begin strenuous manual labor without any physical aids.
Because the subject was vigilant and claims-savvy, following him required a discreet, multi-vehicle surveillance team to avoid burning the investigation while building an airtight, court-admissible record of his true physical capabilities.
The Results
When the evidence was presented during a scheduled settlement meeting, the case was resolved immediately:
- Claim denied — the worker’s attorney dropped the case the moment the surveillance video was played, erasing the $200,000+ liability
- Restitution — the subject was ordered to repay $18,000 in previously collected benefits
- Criminal prosecution — charged with felony Workers’ Compensation Fraud in Texas, resulting in 5 years of probation and a permanent criminal record
- Company impact — a massive insurance premium increase was prevented, sending a clear message that fraudulent claims would be professionally investigated
A doctor’s note can be manipulated, but high-definition surveillance video does not lie.
Terrance Private Investigator & Associates
Looking Ahead
If you are a Texas business owner or insurer facing a workers’ compensation claim that does not add up, a licensed surveillance investigator can document what is actually happening and give you evidence that holds up in court. The truth is often just two weeks of professional surveillance away.