A Simi Valley tree trimmer got clipped by the law for skimping on insurance. Mauricio Torres, the owner of Vero’s Tree Service, has been sentenced for not having workers’ compensation insurance, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office revealed. In a decision made public on December 21, Torres pled guilty and was hit with a year of probation and a hefty $10,000 fine.

On top of the fine, Torres had to pay up nearly $10k in restitution. According to the district attorney’s statement, the California Department of Insurance, partnered with the State Compensation Insurance Fund, found that Torres failed to legally insure his employees. This negligence exposes workers to dangerously being left without proper care and recovery should an injury occur while swinging saws and trimming trees.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Anne Spillner, who works the Worker’s Compensation Insurance Fraud Unit in Ventura, hammered on the importance of such insurance. "Workers' Compensation Insurance exists to protect the health and recovery of vulnerable injured workers," Spillner stated. 

For more information on the realities of Workers' Compensation Insurance fraud, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office invites the public to learn more by clicking here