Town of Hempstead Worker Lied About Injury to Collect Disability Insurance: DA

A New Hyde Park man was arrested Tuesday for collecting $7,500 in disability insurance after he lied about injuring himself on the job, according to Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas.

Kevin Breen, 27, was employed by the Town of Hempstead Department of Sanitation as a part time laborer when he injured himself after a night out at Charlie Bullfrog’s bar in New Hyde Park on October 2, the DA says.

According to the DA, Breen was drunk when he fell through a plate glass window of an empty storefront and injured his hand, lacerating tendons and nerves at 4 a.m. He was taken to Winthrop University Hospital to be treated for his injuries.

Breen, however, claimed he injured his hand at work on Sept. 29 by jumping off a truck while it was moving and using his hand to break the fall to collect disability insurance, the DA says.

The Town paid more than $7,500, including medical payments, to compensate Breen for his injuries.

“Disability payments exist to protect hard working New Yorkers who are legitimately injured in the course of their jobs,” Singas said in a press release. “Fraudulent workers’ compensation claims are not victimless crimes. These wrongful claims cost taxpayers millions of dollars every year.”

A Workers Compensation Board meeting on March 11 determined Bren violated the law. The claim was disallowed and the average weekly wage and lost time was rescinded, the DA says. Breen was fired by the Town of Hempstead on March 30 and the case was then referred to the NCDA.

Breen was arraigned Tuesday on the following charges:

• Third-degree grand larceny
• Third-degree insurance fraud
• First-degree offering a false instrument for filing
• Violation of Section 114.1 of the New York State worker’s compensation law

Breen was conditionally released to probation and is due back in court on Thursday, June 16. He could face up to 2 ⅓ to 7 years in prison if convicted of the top charge.
Image via NCDA