Medical Disability Fraud Florida
Millions of Americans receive disability payments through Social Security. Although the vast majority of these payments are collected legally, there are exceptions. Individuals are caught defrauding the system every year. Read on to learn more about what constitutes medical disability fraud in Florida, and the penalties you may be facing if charged with this offense.
Types of Medical Disability Fraud
Medical disability fraud involves any attempt to obtain disability benefits to which you are not entitled. This type of fraud can be committed in countless ways, even with the help of a doctor or representative of the Social Security Administration (SSA). Some of the most common fraudulent actions include:
- Lying on your application—Intentionally misstating information on your SSD benefits application to obtain benefits or increase your monthly benefit amount may constitute fraud.
- Failing to update SSA about changes in your medical condition—If the medical condition for which you are receiving benefits is resolved or improves, and you fail to inform SSA of this change, you may be charged with fraud.
- Falsification of medical records—Creation of false medical records to make a disability seem worse than it actually is for the purpose of obtaining or increasing benefits is a serious form of disability fraud. In many cases, this type of fraud involves both the beneficiary and a doctor or other medical professional with access to medical records.
- Failing to update SSA about changes in employment—If your income increases and the new amount will reduce or disqualify you from benefit eligibility, your failure to notify SSA about this increase may constitute fraud.
- Failing to report the death of a disability benefits recipient—When a spouse or other family member dies while receiving SSD benefits, and you fail to report this death in order to continue collecting the deceased’s benefit checks, you will likely face charges for medical disability fraud.
Penalties for Medical Disability Fraud
If you are charged with disability fraud in Florida, you may be facing fines of up to $250,000 and up to five years in prison. Penalties are even greater for individuals in positions of trust, such as SSA employees and doctors, who can find themselves behind bars for up to 10 years. These professionals may also face civil penalties.
What to Do if You’re Facing Medical Disability Fraud in Florida
As you can see from the penalties above, disability fraud is a serious matter. But if you’ve been charged with this offense, make no mistake, you do have rights.
Your first line of defense is to hire an experienced Florida medical disability fraud attorney. Fraud requires intent. If your attorney can show that your actions were not intentional, or that a false statement did not impact your SSD eligibility, any charges against you may be dropped.
Contact the Law Office of Nayib Hassan, P.A. Today
If you have been charged with medical disability fraud in Florida, the skilled legal team at the Law Office of Nayib Hassan, P.A. can help. Our Florida Medicare fraud attorney will thoroughly review the details of your case to determine the best legal strategy, and our aggressive defense attorneys will fight tirelessly to protect your rights and keep you out of jail. Call the Law Office of Nayib Hassan, P.A. today at (305) 403-7323 for a free and confidential case about your case.
