Man Uses Car To Fight Fraud

LOCAL MAN USES OLD AND NEW TECHNOLOGY TO EXPOSE FRAUD

San Gabriel Valley resident, Larry Nign, has taken his case to the streets, literally. In an attempt to inform and educate the public, injured workers and policy holders alike, about the fraud committed against him by California’s state run insurance company, Nign has painted his website’s address and the phrase State Compensation Insurance Fraud on the doors and trunk lid of his family’s only car, a 1966 Plymouth Belvedere.

Nign, a plastic fabricator, was diagnosed with lung disease in 1989 due to long-term exposure to toxins in burning plastic. His employer was insured by California’s workers compensation carrier, State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF). His case was finally brought to trial in 1997. It was then that Nign discovered that the attorney for SCIF, Gustavo San Jose, had submitted falsified documents to the court. Nign did not receive a settlement from SCIF due to San Jose’s actions. Not being one to take this lying down, Nign contacted the Los Angeles District Attorney’s fraud unit. The D.A. in conjunction with the Department of Insurance investigated the case and discovered evidence that fraud had been committed by SCIF. Four counts of felony fraud were filed against San Jose.

Nign’s website, http://www.MyStateFundStory.com, contains all the critical documents, including the arrest warrant for felony insurance fraud against San Jose. ‘My case has involved a Grand Jury, numerous Superior court hearings, one Appellate court hearing and in January of 2002 SCIF tried to get the evidence back by taking the case before the California Supreme Court. The D.A. was ordered to have an in camera and expose the files that proved the fraud. This was never done which is a violation of an Appellate court order. In July of 2002, after over two years of work by the D.A., the charges against San Jose were dropped, citing Nign as an “unreliable witness.” “That’s impossible,” states Nign. SCIF’s own documents are the witness to their crimes.”

SCIF was facing having to pay out a 100% disability award. San Jose submitted fraudulent documents to the court to protect SCIF from the long term liability of such an award. I come in contact everyday with injured workers, they email and call me. Fraud committed by the comp. carriers in this state is not an isolated incident. Not only are injured workers being cheated out of benefits, but some employers are facing up to a 100% or more in increases in workers comp. premiums in 2003. These increases will put many smaller companies out of business and larger companies will scale back on employment or leave the state all together. This affects all of us. “

When asked what he hopes to accomplish with his billboard on wheels, Nign states he hopes to bring attention to the plight of injured workers that are at the mercy of a big insurance company. “When an insurance company thinks a worker has committed fraud they go after that worker with a vengeance, arresting and in some cases imprisoning them. When an insurance company commits fraud, as California’s comp. carrier did with me, they get away with it. Political pressure and corruption are the norm. I hope to put a stop to it and educate the public about what goes on right under their noses.”