A Leesburg woman is accused of receiving nearly $20,000 in fraudulent worker’s comp payments after being injured on the job at AdventHealth Waterman in 2018.
Tiesha Reyes, 37, was arrested Tuesday and charged with worker’s compensation fraud and grand theft (between $10,000 and $20,000). She was a patient care technician at the hospital, located at 1000 Waterman Way in Tavares.
In April 2018, Reyes was assisting with a combative patient when she injured her neck and shoulder. The injury caused her to miss work and she filed a workers compensation claim, according to the arrest report out of Lake County.
About four months later, in August 2018, Reyes was treated and evaluated for cervical and lower back pain at the Orthopedic Institute in Ocala. According to the doctor’s notes, Reyes complained of neck and lower back pain. She said she had been on light duty for the past three months and was now completely off work due to the hospital’s three-month limit on light duty, the report said.
The doctor noted Reyes had a normal range of motion and overall examination, but she complained of pain. He noted she was able to return to work with limitations and prescribed her several medications. Reyes’ lower back was reportedly at maximum medical improvement at that point, according to the report.
Reyes returned to the same doctor for a follow-up examination in October 2018. She had an MRI scan for her age that showed no evidence of injury. The doctor determined Reyes had reached full recovery and removed any work-related functional restrictions at that time, the report said.
In August 2019, a senior claims specialist in the hospital’s Workers’ Compensation Department followed up with Reyes about her health status. During their phone conversation, the specialist asked Reyes if she was employed anywhere. Reyes said she was working for TLC ACS, LLC, an outpatient surgery and laser center in Lady Lake. At no time prior to the call did Reyes ever tell the specialist she was employed, according to the report.
An investigation by law enforcement revealed that Reyes had been employed since July 2018. Payroll records obtained from TLC confirmed Reyes had received wages from then until August 2019. However, she submitted Employee Earnings Reports to the hospital from May 2018 through February 2019 denying any other income, the report said.
The specialist filed a Notice of Denial that said Reyes was no longer eligible for workers compensation benefits. Additionally, she submitted an affidavit that said the hospital paid $18,796.72 to Reyes that she never should have gotten, according to the report.
In March, law enforcement met with Reyes, who confirmed her injury and admitted to working while receiving workers’ compensation benefits. She said she believed she was allowed to work if it was in a part-time capacity, the warrant said.
After Reyes was arrested Tuesday, she was handed over to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and taken to the Lake County Jail. The New York native was released after posting $4,000 bond.
