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Albany Woman Fakes New York Workers’ Compensation Neck Injury

Posted on Jul 07, 2011

Kelly Woods, of Albany, was arraigned in an Albany County court after trying to claim $316,400 from the New York State Insurance Fund and stealing $42,000 in workers' compensation payments for an allegedly fake neck injury. She is charged with second-degree insurance fraud, third-degree grand larceny, and workers' compensation fraud. These charges come after Woods claimed that she suffered from permanent fixed torticollis due to an injury at a Colonie construction firm where she was employed. Woods claimed the condition caused her head to be constantly fixed at an angle on her right shoulder.

Unfortunately for Woods, she was caught on video using her neck normally during the period she claimed she was suffering from torticollis. It also is alleged that when Woods learned of the criminal charges, she fled and had to be extradited.

In her statement to Judge Thomas Breslin, Woods claimed remorse for her actions, saying "I'm haunted by my poor decisions surrounding this situation every day."

Woods received a prison sentence of 1-3 years and an order to pay $43,405 in restitution to the state of New York. She also signed an agreement to waive all future workers' compensation benefit claims.

The Westchester County workers' compensation lawyers with Markhoff & Mittman know that most workers' compensation claims are made by workers who are legitimately suffering after a NY workplace accident. Unfortunately, fraudulent cases like this only serve to make the process harder for those who are truly in need of benefits.