Woman Claiming PTSD From Dog Bite Charged For Workers' Comp Scam

WASHINGTON — The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is charging a woman who, they say, stole more than $186,000 through a workers' comp scam.

According to L&I, Linda Lashell Jordan was working as a meter reader in Cathlamet when she was viciously bitten by a dog on her right forearm. Jordan claimed that the attack was so traumatic that it caused her to develop a phobia of dogs, fainting in their presence, and that she could not longer work as a result of her fear.

After an investigation, L&I says they believe Jordan overinflated the severity of her injuries to receive more workers comp, and ultimately stole more than $186,000 in benefits between 2016 and 2019. L&I says they were tipped off in 2018, when a claim manager reported something fishy in Jordan's case.

To claim workers comp, Jordan had told the state she could no longer work because of her overwhelming fear of dogs, but after investigating, L&I found she actually owned six dogs. She even reportedly told an undercover investigator working the case that she and her husband had been rescuing and fostering boxers for 30 years, and were continuing to do so.

“The defendant’s alleged actions in this case are so blatant it’s astounding,” said Chris Bowe, assistant director of L&I’s Fraud Prevention and Labor Standards.

Investigators also found that Jordan had set up several Facebook pages to advertise dogs for sale and look for dogs to breed.

Jordan's heath care provider had previously told her she should not drive because of her supposed phobia of dogs, which could have caused her to faint behind the wheel if she saw a dog while driving. Investigators say they saw her driving at least nine times between 2018 and 2019.

Jordan has been scheduled for an arraignment Monday, and is expected to be charged for one count of first-degree felony theft.

“We do not tolerate people who intentionally defraud the workers’ comp system. As our work in this case shows, we investigate and hold responsible people who abuse this crucial resource for legitimately injured workers," said Bowe.