The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "claimants" ...
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A World of Hurt
The New York State workers compensation system was criticized, but seldom examined. This series exposes the costs of the system failing it most basic mission: “to resolve jobsite injuries without further damaging workers or hurting their employers.” Often workers had to wait a number of months to have their cases heard, hearings were short, workers were fired after being injured and claimant lawyers often didn’t think of the long-term results.
Tags: Workers; Workers compensation; Costs; Jobs; Jobsite injuries; Damage; Hurt; Injured workers; Bosses; Legal; Medical treatment; Replacement wages; Wages; Compensation system
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GMA Gets Answers
This series takes a hard look at the problems Americans are facing with insurance carriers, both public and private. In each story, Anchor Chris Cuomo profiles people fighting battles against insurance companies that are denying their claims. The investigators tried to get answers to claimants' questions about why their claims were being denied, even though they appeared to be following their insurance policy rules to a tee. They found that many consumers find themselves enmeshed in a complex and confusing system that allows insurers to wrongfully deny or delay claims with little possibility of penalty.
Tags: disease; genetic test; Medicaid; Insurance; claims; deny claims; public health
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Out in the Cold
The story details the Department of Labor's Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, a "worker's-comp program for former nuclear-weapons workers that acknowledges the link between long-term radiation exposure and several types of cancer, and promises compensation for cancer victims." While the department maintains that the program is "claimant-friendly," the program puts the "burden of proof of radiation exposure on sick and dying claimants who have no means to do so."
Tags: EEOICPA; nuclear weapons; radiation exposure; cancer; compensation; worker-comp; claimants
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Insult and Injury
The disability benefits program run by the Social Security Administration is hurting scores of people it is supposed to be helping. Because of massive delays in Social Security's processing of claims, disabled workers are losing their cars, homes and other possessions. The system also relies on questionable medical exams to make decisions on disability claims.
Tags: Social Security Advisory Board; Social Security Advisory Service; National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives; Social Security Administration; disability benefits; disability claims; North Carolina Disability Determination Services; disabled workers; social security benefits; North Carolina Division of Aging; disability application
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Judges vary sharply on disability approval; Access to Social Security files granted only after legal battle
Two stories that take a look at the rates at which individual Social Security administrative law judges grant disability benefits to claimants. It showed huge variation from one judge to another in the Houston area--a hotspot for controversy over how, and how often, benefits are granted.
Tags: IRE FOI AWARD CATEGORY; disability benefits; Social Security Administration; disability approval
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The Dali Legacy: Fights and Frauds
"The highly lucrative estate ('of the great Surrealist and showman-' Salvador Dali) consists of the worldwide rights to royalties on merchandise of all kinds associated with Dali's name, ranging from books and reproductions to neckties and hosiery, perfume and watches. The competing claimants are the Gala-Salvador Dali Foundation, which is recognized by the Spanish government, and the Demart Pro Arte company, founded by Robert Descharnes, who was Dali's secretary at the end of his life."
Tags: art; estate; market; photography; royalties; merchandising; art dealers; frauds; licensing; Dali Foundation; prints; Spanish ministry of culture; diskette
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The Tangled Web
Legal malpractice is a burgeoning field for lawyers, and others who represent claimants. For the rest of the profession, lawsuits against lawyers are a major source of anxiety. The larger law firms, at one time seemingly invincible, are particularly hard hit. People don't sue them because they would fight. A lot of complicated malpractice cases are based upon allegations that lawyers failed to fill their ethical responsibilities.
Tags: None
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Guilty Victims
North Carolina's Victim Compensation Fund, designed to reimburse innocent victims for medical and funeral expenses and lost time from work, has paid more than $200,000 to convicted felons. The report profiles one case where the claimant was shot after threatening to shoot and kill his assailant. Claimant had a lengthy criminal history.
Tags: TAPE
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No title (id: 8388)
Forbes Magazine (New York) reports on the rising number of asbestos personal injury suits in this country, even though new asbestos products have not been produced for over 20 years; claimants with scar tissue on their lungs can sue as many as 50 companies who made asbestos products that the claimant came in contact with throughout his or her lifetime, Feb. 18, 1991.
Tags: None
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No title (id: 3234)
WLS-TV (Chicago) reports auto insurance swindling is a $3 billion-a-year business in which crooked lawyers, doctors and claimants conspire to defraud insurance companies; policyholders pay up to 30 percent more in premiums to cover these phony claims, 1980. (script only)
Tags: None