Zalma on Insurance
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Insurance Claims professional presents articles and videos on insurance, insurance Claims and insurance law for insurance Claims adjusters, insurance professionals and insurance lawyers who wish to improve their skills and knowledge. Presented by an internationally recognized expert and author.
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July 14, 2022
Guilty of Using Stolen Prescription Pad to Obtain Oxycodone

Drug Dealer Chiropractor Not Allowed into Pretrial Intervention Program

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gu2igmKA and see the full video at https://lnkd.in/gieZ_syz and at https://lnkd.in/gSXWSeSE and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 4250 posts.
Posted on July 14, 2022 by Barry Zalma

See the full video at https://rumble.com/v1c0dxh-guilty-of-using-stolen-prescription-pad-to-obtain-oxycodone.html?mref=6zof&mrefc=2 and at

The New Jersey Pretrial Intervention Program (PTI) “is a diversionary program through which certain offenders are able to avoid criminal prosecution by receiving early rehabilitative services expected to deter future criminal behavior.” State v. Oguta, 468 N.J.Super. 100, 107 (App. Div. 2021) (quoting State v. Nwobu, 139 N.J. 236, 240 (1995)). Jason Mittleman appealed from an order denying his motion to compel his admission into the PTI program.

In State Of New Jersey v. Jason Mittleman, No. A-0925-20, Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division (June 22, 2022) the Chiropractor appealed the refusal to allow him in the PTI program.
FACTS

Mittleman is a chiropractor. In 2017, he was working at the Denville Medical and Sports Rehabilitation Center where he stole another doctor’s prescription pad. Over the next twenty-two months, Mittleman submitted false prescriptions to obtain thousands of oxycodone pills.

Mittleman’s theft and fraud came to light in 2019. During the ensuing police investigation, Mittleman admitted he stole the prescription pad, fraudulently filled out numerous prescriptions, and used those prescriptions to obtain oxycodone.

Mittleman was indicted for third-degree obtaining oxycodone by fraud; third-degree insurance fraud; third-degree receiving stolen property; and fourth-degree tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.
The PTI Program

Mittleman applied for admission into the PTI program. The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office rejected his application and set forth the reasons for that decision. An assistant prosecutor reviewed the seventeen factors set forth in the PTI statute and found ten aggravating factors, considered several mitigating factors, but determined that Mittleman was not a suitable candidate for the PTI program.

A Law Division judge heard arguments on Mittleman’s motion motion, denied the motion, and set forth the reason for that decision on the record. That same day, the Law Division judge entered an order denying Mittleman’s motion to compel his entry into the PTI program.
Guilty Plea

The following month, Mittleman pled guilty to third-degree insurance fraud. In accordance with the plea agreement, Mittleman was sentenced to one year probation with a condition that he surrender his chiropractic license during the probationary period. The other charges against Mittleman were dismissed.

Mittleman appealed from the order denying his motion to compel his entry into the PTI program. Mittleman’s arguments were rejected because they were not supported by the record.
DISCUSSION

Prosecutors are granted broad discretion to determine if any defendant, including Mittleman, should be diverted to PTI instead of being prosecuted. The scope of judicial review is severely limited by the statute.

To overturn a prosecutor’s rejection, a defendant must clearly and convincingly establish that the prosecutor’s decision constitutes a patent and gross abuse of discretion. A patent and gross abuse of discretion is a decision that has gone so wide of the mark sought to be accomplished by PTI that fundamental fairness and justice requires judicial intervention.

There is nothing in the record establishing that Mittleman had a lawful prescription for oxycodone. The material fact, which was undisputed, was that Mittleman fraudulently obtained oxycodone.

The prosecutor also considered Mittleman’s use of the oxycodone. In that regard, the prosecutor noted that Mittleman claimed he had ceased using oxycodone voluntarily and, therefore, the State noted that there was no clear demonstration of an addiction that could be better treated through rehabilitative programs like PTI.

There is nothing in the record indicating that the State incorrectly believed that Mittleman provided oxycodone pills to his girlfriend. Instead, the prosecutor in his rejection letter noted that Mittleman admitted to using his former girlfriend’s name on forged prescriptions so that he could obtain more prescriptions for himself. The prosecutor also pointed out that Mittleman admitted that sometimes he distributed the oxycodone pills to other individuals.

Records recovered during the criminal investigation showed that Mittleman received fraudulent prescriptions of oxycodone from April 2017 until February 2019. During that same period, he was treating patients. Accordingly, it is not pure speculation that Mittleman’s unprescribed use of oxycodone could have placed his patients at risk.

The appellate court rejected Mittleman’s arguments concerning factual errors by the prosecutor because those arguments were not supported by the record and affirmed the trial court’s decision.
ZALMA OPINION

For a health care provider to steal a prescription pad and obtain for his personal use and distribution to others oxycodone illegally to seek admission to the PTI program would have allowed him to avoid his admitted criminal conduct. That he appealed the denial after being allowed to plead guilty to only one count and be sentenced only to probation was unconscionable. He should have been sentenced to prison for such egregious conduct and abuse of his profession.
Just published
Random Thoughts on Insurance Volume XIV: A Collection of Blog Posts from Zalma on Insurance —

(c) 2022 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.

Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE, now limits his practice to service as an insurance consultant specializing in insurance coverage, insurance claims handling, insurance bad faith and insurance fraud almost equally for insurers and policyholders. He practiced law in California for more than 44 years as an insurance coverage and claims handling lawyer and more than 54 years in the insurance business. He is available at

http://www.zalma.com and [email protected].

Subscribe and receive videos limited to subscribers of Excellence in Claims Handling at locals.com https://zalmaoninsurance.locals.com/subscribe.

Subscribe to Excellence in Claims Handling at https://barryzalma.substack.com/welcome.

Write to Mr. Zalma at [email protected]; http://www.zalma.com

; http://zalma.com/blog; daily articles are published at https://zalma.substack.com.

Go to the podcast Zalma On Insurance at https://anchor.fm/barry-zalma; Follow Mr. Zalma on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bzalma; Go to Barry Zalma videos at Rumble.com at https://rumble.com/c/c-262921; Go to Barry Zalma on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCysiZklEtxZsSF9DfC0Expg; Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://zalma.com/blog/insurance-claims-library/

00:08:18
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September 26, 2025
No Way Out After Murder Conviction

Intentionally Shooting a Woman With A Rifle is Murder

Post 5196

See the full video at and at and at https://zalma.com/blog and more than 5150 posts.

You Plead Guilty You Must Accept the Sentence

In Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania v. Mark D. Redfield, No. 20 WDA 2025, No. J-S24010-25, Superior Court of Pennsylvania (September 19, 2025) the appellate court reviewed the case of Mark D. Redfield, who pleaded guilty to third-degree murder for killing April Dunkle with malice using a rifle.

Affirmation of Sentence:

The sentencing court’s judgment was affirmed, and jurisdiction was relinquished, concluding no abuse of discretion occurred.

Reasonable Inference on Trigger Pulling:

The sentencing court reasonably inferred from the guilty plea facts that the appellant pulled the trigger causing the victim’s death, an inference supported by the record and consistent with the plea.

Guilty Plea Facts:

The appellant admitted during the plea hearing...

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September 25, 2025
Prelitigation Communications Privileged

The Judicial Proceedings Privilege
Post 5196

Posted on September 25, 2025 by Barry Zalma

See the full video at and at

Judicial Proceeding Privilege Limits Litigation

In David Camp, and Laura Beth Waller v. Professional Employee Services, d/b/a Insurance Branch, and Brendan Cassity, CIVIL No. 24-3568 (RJL), United States District Court, District of Columbia (September 22, 2025) a defamation lawsuit filed by David Camp and Laura Beth Waller against Insurance Branch and Brendon Cassity alleging libel based on statements made in a letter accusing them of mishandling funds and demanding refunds and investigations.

The court examined whether the judicial proceedings privilege applieD to bar the defamation claims.

Case background:

Plaintiffs Camp and Waller, executives of NOSSCR and its Foundation, sued defendants Insurance Branch and Cassity over a letter alleging financial misconduct and demanding refunds and audits. The letter ...

00:07:56
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September 24, 2025
Untrue Application for Insurance Voids Policy

Misrepresentation or Concealment of a Material Fact Supports Rescission

Post 5195

Don’t Lie to Your Insurance Company

See the full video at and at https://rumble.com/v6zefq8-untrue-application-for-insurance-voids-policy.html and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.

In Imani Page v. Progressive Marathon Insurance Company, No. 370765, Court of Appeals of Michigan (September 22, 2025) because defendant successfully established fraud in the procurement, and requested rescission, the Court of Appeals concluded that the Defendant was entitled to rescind the policy and declare it void ab initio.

FACTS

Plaintiff's Application:

Plaintiff applied for an insurance policy with the defendant, indicating that the primary use of her SUV would be for "Pleasure/Personal" purposes.

Misrepresentation:

Plaintiff misrepresented that she would not use the SUV for food delivery, but records show she was compensated for delivering food.

Accident:

Plaintiff's SUV was involved in an accident on August ...

00:07:48
September 09, 2025
The Dishonest Chiropractor/Physician

How a Need for Profit Led Health Care Providers to Crime
Post 5185
Posted on September 8, 2025 by Barry Zalma

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gePN7rjm and at https://lnkd.in/gzPwr-9q

This is a Fictionalized True Crime Story of Insurance Fraud from an Expert who explains why Insurance Fraud is a “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose” situation for Insurers.

The Dishonest Chiropractor/Physician

How a Need for Profit Led Health Care Providers to Crime

See the full video at and at

This is a Fictionalized True Crime Story of Insurance Fraud from an Expert who explains why Insurance Fraud is a “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose” situation for Insurers. The story is designed to help to Understand How Insurance Fraud in America is Costing Everyone who Buys Insurance Thousands of Dollars Every year and Why Insurance Fraud is Safer and More Profitable for the ­­­Perpetrators than any Other Crime.

How Elderly Doctors Fund their ...

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September 08, 2025
The Dishonest Chiropractor/Physician

How a Need for Profit Led Health Care Providers to Crime
Post 5185
Posted on September 8, 2025 by Barry Zalma

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gePN7rjm and at https://lnkd.in/gzPwr-9q

This is a Fictionalized True Crime Story of Insurance Fraud from an Expert who explains why Insurance Fraud is a “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose” situation for Insurers.

The Dishonest Chiropractor/Physician

How a Need for Profit Led Health Care Providers to Crime

See the full video at and at

This is a Fictionalized True Crime Story of Insurance Fraud from an Expert who explains why Insurance Fraud is a “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose” situation for Insurers. The story is designed to help to Understand How Insurance Fraud in America is Costing Everyone who Buys Insurance Thousands of Dollars Every year and Why Insurance Fraud is Safer and More Profitable for the ­­­Perpetrators than any Other Crime.

How Elderly Doctors Fund their ...

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September 03, 2025

Barry Zalma: Insurance Claims Expert Witness
Posted on September 3, 2025 by Barry Zalma
The Need for a Claims Handling Expert to Defend or Prove a Tort of Bad Faith Suit

© 2025 Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE

When I finished my three year enlistment in the US Army as a Special Agent of US Army Intelligence in 1967, I sought employment where I could use the investigative skills I learned in the Army. After some searching I was hired as a claims trainee by the Fireman’s Fund American Insurance Company. For five years, while attending law school at night while working full time as an insurance adjuster I became familiar with every aspect of the commercial insurance industry.

On January 2, 1972 I was admitted to the California Bar. I practiced law, specializing in insurance claims, insurance coverage and defense of claims against people insured and defense of insurance companies sued for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. After 45 years as an active lawyer, I asked that my license to practice law be declared inactive ...

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