Merced woman arraigned on insurance fraud charges in workers comp case

A Merced woman was arraigned on four counts of insurance fraud at the Merced County Superior Courthouse on Thursday, according to a California Department of Insurance news release.

Kia Lor, 54 , is accused of lying about the extent of prior injuries in an attempt to receive about $7,000 in what the Department of Insurance called “undeserved workers’ compensation payments.”

According to Merced Superior Court records, Lor pleaded not guilty to four charges of presenting false documentation for compensation.

According to the release, Lor, a former nutrition assistant at the Merced Community Action Agency, injured her lower back lifting a cooler at a company picnic on Oct. 5, 2018.

The Department of Insurance said Lor denied any prior lower back injuries when completing paperwork and communicating with the workers’ compensation insurance carrier and qualified medical examiner during the course of treatment.

During an investigation, it was discovered that Lor had previously submitted multiple vehicle accident claims between 1999 and 2016 in which she allegedly suffered injuries to her back. Lor also filed a workers’ compensation claim in 2008 reporting a back injury, according to the release.

The Department of Insurance said Lor’s misrepresentations about the extent of prior injuries could have resulted in her receiving $6,960 for permanent disability. The investigation prevented the payment, according to the release.

The case is being prosecuted by the Merced County District Attorney’s Office.