11,708 dog attacks on Kiwis last year: ACC
Nearly 12,000 people suffered dog bite injuries last year, including more than 1700 children aged under 10 - many of whom will be left with scars.
The number of attacks requiring medical attention has increased since 2003 when 8677 people were attacked, including 7-year-old Carolina Anderson who has needed years of surgery after being mauled in an Auckland park.
Her case was so bad it resulted in tougher dog control measures being passed, including the compulsory microchipping of all dogs, but they appear to have done little to prevent thousands of other children from being bitten.
Widows ripping off ACC benefits
More than $3 million of ACC money was lost to fraud last year and culprits increasingly include widowed women ripping off the system.
Nearly 100 people have been prosecuted for fraud since 2007 and figures released to the Herald under the Official Information Act reveal the total savings to the taxpayer from the detection of last year's fraud alone was $37 million.
Although the total amount of fraud in the 2010/11 fiscal year was $3.1 million, the higher figure of $37 million is reached when the impact the fraud would have had on taxpayers if it was not discovered was taken into account.
Father and son in ACC scam
A Hamilton man has been jailed over an ACC scam, and his father has also been punished for lying to support his story.
Jonathan Adolph, 36, received a two and a half years imprisonment, after he made up details of a non-existent job to fraudulently claim ACC weekly compensation. He was also ordered to pay more than $100,000 reparation.
His father, Lloyd Adolph, lied to ACC to support his son's fictitious story and was sentenced to 150 hours community work.
Mother accused of $128,000 ACC fraud
ACC alleges a Christchurch woman has fraudulently claimed more than $100,000 for care of a family member.
Angela Martha Becker, 45, is facing 63 charges. It is alleged she claimed more than $128,000 of ACC funding through dishonest invoices during 2008-09.
She was given a registrar's remand, without making an appearance in the Christchurch District Court, and is due to reappear on March 1.
Articles of Interest
- 11,708 dog attacks on Kiwis last year: ACC
- Widows ripping off ACC benefits
- Father and son in ACC scam
- Mother accused of $128,000 ACC fraud
- Rough rugby tops ACC's sports injury list
- Trucky driven to despair
- Benefit cheats: The $22m rip-off
- Wisdom ensures there'll be no next time
- Schoolyard injuries cost ACC $18m
- Resolving Chronic Pain
- Summer street bashings cost ACC $2.8m
- Epidurals Linked to Paralysis Seen With $300 Billion Pain Market
- Skateboarding injury claims soar
- Wheelchair-bound woman seeks help for servant
- Injury costs fall by $6m
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