Medical Canvassing for Private Investigators
By Scott Fulmer
Editor’s note: This article was written by Scott Fulmer of Intermountain PI about cohabitation investigations.The opinions expressed here belong to Scott Fulmer.
Medical canvassing is a strategy used in the claims handling process to determine if a work injury is legitimate. It is used by defense attorneys, insurance companies, third-party administrators, and self-insureds in workers’ compensation, disability, and automobile accident claims. With medical canvassing, the objective is to discover any undisclosed medical treatment by the claimant. In other words, medical treatment for an injury that may have occurred prior to or outside of a reported work-related injury claim.
What is a medical canvass?
A medical canvass involves a private investigator making telephonic inquiries at medical facilities in a geographic radius surrounding a claimant’s home or place of employment. This may include medical facilities such as hospitals, pharmacies, pain clinics, urgent care facilities, and chiropractic clinics. Inquiries are conducted to discover if the claimant received treatment at any of these offices. By comparing the providers and dates of treatment, a claims adjuster can determine if an injury is legitimate or whether it stems from a pre-existing condition that occurred outside the scope of employment or the accident.
What information can a medical canvass provide?
With …read more
Source:: Private Invest
