Washington Man Ordered to Repay $59,600 in Benefits and Penalties

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries has ordered a 54-year-old Vashon man to repay workers’ compensation benefits he allegedly fraudulently collected by claiming he was injured and unable to work.

Terrill Myers was injured in Nov. 1995 while working as a church custodian in Seattle. As a result of that injury, he collected about $39,000 in disability benefits. An investigation by L&I found that in 1999 and 2000, Myers worked as a bookkeeper. During that same period, Myers reported to L&I that he was unable to work because of his on-the-job injury.

As a result of that claim, Myers allegedly collected benefits, including money for vocational retraining and travel. Myers was caught when L&I fraud investigators cross-matched their records with records from the state Department of Employment Security.

In administrative fraud cases, state law allows L&I to assess a 50 percent penalty.