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Featured Replies

53 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

In a much earlier stage in my career, I pursued civil workers comp insurance premium fraud cases (e.g., a shell company with 3 office employees would be set up -- all those jobs have low risk ratings, and the number of employees was low, which meant cheap premium).  Then the "subsidiary" of that shell -- which was a building contractor with 50 employees who climbed scaffolding and worked with saws and shit -- would use that certificate of insurance to represent that it had comp coverage so it could get jobs.  There actually is exposure to the insurance co to cover those other 50 people, so they would sue for the back premium.

The folks we sued always thought they were being super-clever, and had spotted a fool-proof loophole.

They weren't, and they hadn't.

Trying to pull one over on a company with assets in the hundreds of millions is usually a bad idea.

Back in my construction days I had many arguments with workers comp premium assessing people.  They always wanted to put people into higher risk categories than they should be (wanted to put Superintendents into the same category as carpenters, for example).  It was ridiculous.

18 minutes ago, Sbbruin said:

Yeah, but a business like this is not like those.

Yeah, BBQ trailer is not quite the same as a Fortune 500 company.

2 hours ago, woohorn said:

Hard to believe it took the insurance company 5 years to crack that case tho.

Their agent is a friend who was in on it?

I wonder how much workers' comp insurance costs for a BBQ joint?  They apparently could afford it when they got the back-dated policy.  I can't imagine workers' comp for a BBQ joint is very expensive.  Unless they are operating a deli slicer, and those seem fairly safe these days, we are talking about minor cuts and slip and falls.

29 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

Back in my construction days I had many arguments with workers comp premium assessing people.  They always wanted to put people into higher risk categories than they should be (wanted to put Superintendents into the same category as carpenters, for example).  It was ridiculous.

 

The standard scam is to get inexpensive clerical staff covered with WC so the construction trade can send out the insurance certificate that indicates WC coverage.  That works until an employee that actually does the construction work gets hurt.  Texas Mutual will most likely cover that employee's claim and then audit the payroll of the company.  Upon audit they will present a hefty invoice for additional premium due.

If one employee is covered with WC then all employee's payroll will be picked up on audit.  You can't cover just one classification or a particular few classifications and not cover others; especially the high premium classifications.

End of policy term audits will typically sniff out the cheaters when a company has to present their 941 filings and Texas Workforce Commission quarterly filings as back up data.

Edited by deadshank

4 minutes ago, deadshank said:

The standard scam is to get inexpensive clerical staff covered with WC so the construction trade can send out the insurance certificate that indicates WC coverage.  That works until an employee that actually does the construction work gets hurt.  Texas Mutual will most likely cover that employee's claim and then audit the payroll of the company.  Upon audit they will present a hefty invoice for additional premium due.

If one employee is covered with WC then all employee's payroll will be picked up on audit.  You can't cover just one classification or a particular few classifications and not cover others; especially the high premium classifications.

End of policy term audits will typically sniff out the cheaters when a company has to present their 941 filings and Texas Workforce Commission quarterly filings as back up data.

Right, these conversations I would have happened at the premium audits.  We always had appropriate coverage, we just argued about how certain positions should be rated.

4 minutes ago, deadshank said:

The standard scam is to get inexpensive clerical staff covered with WC so the construction trade can send out the insurance certificate that indicates WC coverage.  That works until an employee that actually does the construction work gets hurt.  Texas Mutual will most likely cover that employee's claim and then audit the payroll of the company.  Upon audit they will present a hefty invoice for additional premium due.

If one employee is covered with WC then all employee's payroll will be picked up on audit.  You can't cover just one classification or a particular few classifications and not cover others; especially the high premium classifications.

End of policy term audits will typically sniff out the cheaters when a company has to present their 941 filings and Texas Workforce Commission quarterly filings as back up data.

Bingo.  Those were the EXACT kind of cases I handled.  A lot of them tried to cover it up with shell companies, "employee leasing companies," all that stuff back in the day.  None of it worked well for them.

39 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

Back in my construction days I had many arguments with workers comp premium assessing people.  They always wanted to put people into higher risk categories than they should be (wanted to put Superintendents into the same category as carpenters, for example).  It was ridiculous.

Yeah, BBQ trailer is not quite the same as a Fortune 500 company.

In the Mueller family though, the amounts they pay in taxes are similar.

2 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Bingo.  Those were the EXACT kind of cases I handled.  A lot of them tried to cover it up with shell companies, "employee leasing companies," all that stuff back in the day.  None of it worked well for them.

You don't play accounting poker with worker's comp or payroll taxes.  Quick way to find yourself in a shitstorm of financial and legal trouble.

Edited by Reagan1k

  • 3 months later...

Is the insurance fraud case still ongoing? Be interesting to see how this plays out.

1 hour ago, RMac5 said:

Is the insurance fraud case still ongoing? Be interesting to see how this plays out.

Very likely.  Short of a quick plea, criminal cases usually take a year or more to resolve.

On 12/11/2022 at 4:37 PM, RMac5 said:

Is the insurance fraud case still ongoing? Be interesting to see how this plays out.

Yes.  The matter still seems to be pending in Travis County 147th District Court (criminal court).  The next event on the docket is a pre-trial hearing in January.

Case number is D-1-DC-22-904030.  The wheels of justice grind slowly.

On 8/23/2022 at 6:17 PM, Chewbacca said:

I guess crime and bad decisions run in the family.  Who the fuck doesn't have Workers Comp?  

They should name their next BBQ venture, “Shady’s”.

1 minute ago, Cajun said:

They should name their next BBQ venture, “Shady’s”.

Well, the old Shady Grove location is available.

4 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

Well, the old Shady Grove location is available.

Damn I miss Shady Grove. The 90s version of it

Just kidding. 
We have family ties with both businesses.

Last time we saw John was at his mom’s memorial gathering catered by his sister in Taylor.

(John standing in the background)

 

AEDC0B56-8FD6-4DDC-9C6A-C6870E59D8FA.jpeg

 

Edited by Armybrat

2 minutes ago, Hermanator said:

Damn I miss Shady Grove. The 90s version of it

My late DIL worked there & at Chuy’s nearby for 15 years as server, bartender, & assistant manager.

48 minutes ago, Steel Shank said:

The Shady Grove Peanut Butter Ice Box pie kicked a whole lot of ass.

As did their chocolate icebox pie.  Best version of it I ever had.  Also loved their burger.  And the catfish con queso.  And the meatloaf.  And the hippie sandwich.

Goddamn you, Shank.  Gonna make me all sad before Christmas.

9 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

As did their chocolate icebox pie.  Best version of it I ever had.  Also loved their burger.  And the catfish con queso.  And the meatloaf.  And the hippie sandwich.

Goddamn you, Shank.  Gonna make me all sad before Christmas.

Don't forget the comely waitresses.

Just now, Steel Shank said:

Don't forget the comely waitresses.

I never do.

20 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

As did their chocolate icebox pie.  Best version of it I ever had.  Also loved their burger.  And the catfish con queso.  And the meatloaf.  And the hippie sandwich.

Their onion rings were fantastic, too.

Just now, DallasSooner said:

Is this the place that had queso catfish?

Yep.  Seriously, was one of our go-to family places forever.  It's one of the "lost Austin" places we still miss the most.  Never had anything there we didn't like (hell, when we were trying to be healthy, they even had an amazing grilled veggie plate that was good, and my wife is a hot dog fan and loved their chili dog).  Shot the shit at dinner with Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison when we each had a kid in a high chair (same age, we were even at the hospital at delivery at the same time).  Great patio.  Just a damned good place.

Loved that place.  I'm a pretty vocal critic of the "Old Austin is Dying" crowd, since I've lived here my entire life and I've seen at least ten different versions of "Old Austin" come and go.

But that's a place I really miss.

Shady Grove was the shit. 

9 minutes ago, utee94 said:

Loved that place.  I'm a pretty vocal critic of the "Old Austin is Dying" crowd, since I've lived here my entire life and I've seen at least ten different versions of "Old Austin" come and go.

But that's a place I really miss.

We used to take my parents there when they would visit from Missouri.  To say they weren't exactly the target demographic for Shady Grove would be an understatement, but they absolutely loved it.  I think the kitsch reminded them of that sort of mid-century motel we always seemed to find on family trips.  Mom always got veggies and onion rings, and dad got the Airstream chili.

1 hour ago, utee94 said:

Loved that place.  I'm a pretty vocal critic of the "Old Austin is Dying" crowd, since I've lived here my entire life and I've seen at least ten different versions of "Old Austin" come and go.

old austin peaked around 2003, about when I got here.  it's been downhill ever since...

24 minutes ago, futureman said:

old austin peaked around 2003, about when I got here.  it's been downhill ever since...

It was 1959 for me.

2 hours ago, utee94 said:

Loved that place.  I'm a pretty vocal critic of the "Old Austin is Dying" crowd, since I've lived here my entire life and I've seen at least ten different versions of "Old Austin" come and go.

But that's a place I really miss.

This is true, but it's also really true.

4 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

I never do.

Especially when alone.

‘Amirite?

On 12/13/2022 at 8:25 AM, Armybrat said:

Just kidding. 
We have family ties with both businesses.

Last time we saw John was at his mom’s memorial gathering catered by his sister in Taylor.

(John standing in the background)

 

AEDC0B56-8FD6-4DDC-9C6A-C6870E59D8FA.jpeg

 

So John wears shorts to his mom’s memorial?  Nothing but class. 

39 minutes ago, TonyTexas said:

So John wears shorts to his mom’s memorial?  Nothing but class. 

Well he died, but thanks for getting in another shot.  Nothing but class. 

5 hours ago, futureman said:

old austin peaked around 2003, about when I got here.  it's been downhill ever since...

Hmmmmmm...

So...no one but me is ticked off about the woman who wore a floral fucken' blouse to a bloody memorial service? (I think this is best understood if read with an Irish accent.)

Shady Grove was the shit. 

Outdoor daytime drinking was revolutionized there before it became a “thing”.
It was 1959 for me.

When Rundberg was considered the boondocks.
15 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

As did their chocolate icebox pie.  Best version of it I ever had.  Also loved their burger.  And the catfish con queso.  And the meatloaf.  And the hippie sandwich.

Goddamn you, Shank.  Gonna make me all sad before Christmas.

Get it right dammit. It was the Tortilla Fried Queso Catfish and it was fucking glorious.

Used to go there all the time as a student from 1991-96. I think half our fraternity worked there as servers. Drank many a Shady Thang on that patio.

Found some copycat type recipes for the tortilla crusted queso catfish, may have to give it a try. 

Waterloo has tortilla crusted fried catfish that is really good. May have to order a side of queso to go with it next time.

9 hours ago, Stunns38 said:


When Rundberg was considered the boondocks.

Yep, Rundberg was a gravel country road until a couple of years before we bought our first house in Windsor Hills (1971).

I bought a condo at Barton Place (rt behind Shady Grove) when it first opened and loved taking dates to SG on Thu nights for live music.  Easy reason to ask/get them to your place on first date and drinks outside got them in 'good' mood.

38 minutes ago, Hornbeliever said:

I bought a condo at Barton Place (rt behind Shady Grove) when it first opened and loved taking dates to SG on Thu nights for live music.  Easy reason to ask/get them to your place on first date and drinks outside got them in 'good' mood.

So did the unit you bought with the basement pay off?

1 hour ago, deadshank said:

So did the unit you bought with the basement pay off?

Like it did it for the rich dude in Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.....perfect.

On 12/15/2022 at 8:24 AM, Armybrat said:

Yep, Rundberg was a gravel country road until a couple of years before we bought our first house in Windsor Hills (1971).

You have to count the log cabin you built that the Comanches burned down.

On 12/15/2022 at 8:25 AM, Hornbeliever said:

I bought a condo at Barton Place (rt behind Shady Grove) when it first opened and loved taking dates to SG on Thu nights for live music.  Easy reason to ask/get them to your place on first date and drinks outside got them in 'good' mood.

I used to live in that old rundown apartment complex behind Chuy’s right next to Barton Place. Similar stories as you but more of the low-budget version… both the apartment and the women that came over after drinks.  That place was a dump but also a goldmine in its own way back when Tinder was just getting going. 

  • 2 months later...

Always thought their BBQ was overrated especially compared what else you can get in Austin

On 3/5/2023 at 12:26 PM, wackawacka said:

Always thought their BBQ was overrated especially compared what else you can get in Austin

who is that GIF

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