West Virginia Social Security Disability Fraud Case Used to Highlight Problems with SSA

A major case of social security disability fraud in West Virginia has been used by a Senate panel, led by Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) to highlight problems in the Social Security Administration.

Coburn’s recent report looked into the “disability claim factory” case that recently came out of West Virginia, in which a social security disability attorney, Eric C. Conn, and an administrative law judge, David Dougherty, reportedly passed a huge number of social security disability claims through the system in order to make money from the SSA.

The report found, “Judge Daugherty telephoned the Conn law firm each month and identified a list of Mr. Conn’s disability claimants to whom the judge planned to award benefits. Judge Daugherty also indicated, for each listed claimant, whether he needed a “physical” or “mental” opinion from a medical professional indicating the claimant was disabled.”

Further, Coburn’s report found that, “over a four-year period from 2006 to 2010, the Social Security Administration paid Mr. Conn over $4.5 million in attorney fees.” And that, “Mr. Conn was the third highest paid disability law firm in the country due to its receipt of over $3.9 million in attorney fees from the Social Security Administration.”

According to investigations, when Senate staffers and the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General began to look into the pair, after some whistleblower claims alleged they were committing social security disability fraud, Conn and Daugherty began communicating with pre-paid, disposable cell phones, contracted with a local shredding company to destroy 13 tons of documents, and Conn destroyed all of the computer hard drives in his office.

Daugherty was placed on administrative leave during the SSA’s investigation in 2011, and he retired shortly after that.

Senate Panel Highlights Problems with Social Security Disability Program

Coburn led the Senate panel’s investigation, along with Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan. The bipartisan report, titled “How Some Legal, Medical, and Judicial Professionals Abused Social Security Disability Programs for the Country’s Most Vulnerable,” was unveiled just before a Monday, October 7^th, hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The report blasted both Congress and the Social Security Administration for poor oversight of the social security disability program, and focusing on clearing the backlog of disability claims rather than verifying the truth of the claims.

“Congress has acted as if getting more people on the program is more important than conducting oversight,” said Coburn during the hearing. “With the clock ticking on the Social Security trust fund, the people who are truly disabled pay the price.”

Levin added during the hearing that their report did not indicate how many fraudulent disability claims went through, or how rampant such judicial fraud cases may be. “This investigation is not intended to denigrate those on disability,” he said. “It was launched because some of SSA’s hard-working employees blew the whistle. The disability program plays a critical role in the lives of many Americans.”

The crackdown on the SSA could make it more difficult in the near future for social security disability claims to go through. The report also indicated that, due to such rampant fraud, the social security disability program could be bankrupt in as little as 18 months.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Social Security Disability Claims

Applying for Social Security Disability Insurance can be complex.  However, we understand that you need your benefits and we will put our years of experience to work for you to ensure that you have the representation necessary to actively pursue your claim.  Call the attorneys at the Strom Law Firm today to discuss your Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income case today.  We will be glad to discuss any questions you may have during our free, confidential consultation.  Call the experienced attorneys at the Strom Law Firm at (803)252-4800.