Opinion ID: 2634596
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Whether Butanda's actions were fraudulent or abusive under K.S.A. 44-5,120(d)(4)(A) or (B) (1993 Furse).

Text: Resolution of this issue involves the interpretation of provisions of the Workers Compensation Act (Act). Interpretation of a statute is a question of law, and this court's review is unlimited. Duarte v. DeBruce Grain, Inc., 276 Kan. 598, 602, 78 P.3d 428 (2003). While an appellate court gives deference to the Board's interpretation of the law, if such interpretation is applied erroneously, the court may grant relief. Burton v. Rockwell International, 266 Kan. 1, 5, 967 P.2d 290 (1998). The fundamental rule of statutory construction guiding this court's determination is that the intent of the legislature governs when that intent can be ascertained from the statute. When a statute is plain and unambiguous, we must give it the effect intended by the legislature rather than determine what the law should or should not be. State v. Kleypas, 272 Kan. 894, 949, 40 P.3d 139 (2001). In determining whether Butanda's use of an assumed name constituted a fraudulent or abusive act under K.S.A. 44-5,120(d)(4)(A) or (B) (1993 Furse), the district court found that it was undisputed that she received workers compensation benefits and that she made numerous false statements regarding her identity. In concluding that Butanda had misrepresented or concealed a material fact, the district court reasoned: In a world where individuals are defined more and more by the records maintained by the various agencies and organizations, e.g., credit bureaus, the Department of Motor Vehicles, hospitals, etc., the manner in which those records are kept and filed has become increasingly important. Most agencies, organizations, and other such entities use a person's name and often their social security number to properly identify and index that person. Thus, that person's name and social security number become essential to later recovering the required information when it is needed. In the case at hand, the State persuasively argues that a person's name is important to determine the employment and medical history of the injured worker so that a proper award can be calculated. Without a person's name and social security number, an agency or organization would be unable to properly investigate and gather information on that individual, or at the very least, it would be severely handicapped in its efforts to uncover information. As a result, this Court finds a person's name and social security number are important and are, therefore, material facts in a workers compensation action. The simple truth of the matter is that Petitioner lied about her identity on numerous occasions in order to obtain workers compensation benefits. Her entitlement to those benefits is no excuse for intentionally misrepresenting herself. The question before this Court is not whether she was entitled to benefits but rather whether she made any false statements or misrepresented a material fact in obtaining them. Therefore, it is the opinion of this Court that Petitioner's actions of intentionally misrepresenting and concealing her true identity were fraudulent and abusive acts as defined by the Workers Compensation Act. Petitioner is an adult and therefore responsible for her own actions. Her attempts to divert that responsibility and needlessly cloud the issues in this case are meritless. The Final Order of Secretary Designee Douglas A. Hager was reasonable and was a correct interpretation of the law in Kansas. To hold otherwise would eviscerate the workers compensation system and allow dishonesty, greed and corruption to become commonplace. Butanda argues that the use of an assumed name was not a fraudulent or abusive act under 44-5,120(d)(4)(A) or (B). Butanda correctly points out that the district court used the wrong version of the statute. The applicable statute, K.S.A. 44-5,120 (1993 Furse), provides in relevant part: (d) Fraudulent or abusive acts or practices for purposes of the workers compensation act include, but are not limited to, willfully or intentionally: (4) obtaining, denying or attempting to obtain or deny payment of workers compensation benefits for any person by: (A) Making a false or misleading statement; (B) misrepresenting or concealing a material fact