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| | Workers’ Compensation Claims Supervisor Takes His Own Life. Investigation Into Penalty Payments Disguised As Total Temporary Disability Launched In The Wake Of Suicide. By Lonce LaMon - June 15, 2012
This week began with the tragic suicide of John Morton, a veteran workers’ compensation claims adjuster and most recently a supervisor who was employed by Risk Enterprise Management (REM), now Tristar Risk Management, in Brea, California. Tristar purchased REM in April 2012, just two months ago. John Morton died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Sunday, June 10th.
An anonymous source states that Morton’s mother went to the REM Brea office with a police escort, very upset. She asked to speak with the management. After a 45-minute meeting she was heard yelling, “Don’t ask me that. My son would never do that. He gave his life for this company.”
The staff was then told to go to lunch immediately and the office was cleared.
On John Morton’s Facebook page there is an entry stating that he just recently had become engaged to be married.
On Wednesday, June 13th, Vice President of Claims of REM/Tristar Brea, David Dilly, was asked to step down.
An anonymous source states that REM was issuing penalties for late payments of Temporary Total Disability (TTD) to injured workers under the guise of TTD. A company-wide investigation by Tristar into this alleged practice at REM Brea has been launched with Dennis Hoppe, the REM claims manager, and some other managers, in charge of the investigation. All adjusters and their superiors are being interviewed and questioned. Terminations are expected.
Dennis Hoppe did not return phone calls or answer an email from adjustercom. Tom Veale, the President and CEO of Tristar Risk Management, did not return phone calls or answer emails from adjustercom either. Henceforth, both were unavailable for comment.
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