Hot tub soaks comp claim in extra costs

A hot tub for four. A top-of-the-line gas stove to offset electrical requirements for the hot tub. A luxurious, king-sized specialty mattress. A seven-piece leather sectional sofa.

What sounds like a home improvement wish list, or the winnings on The Price is Right, actually represents $17,600 in costs a now-demoted Denver First Department lieutenant tried to pass off as medical necessities attached to a workers compensation claim, the Denver Post reported Tuesday.

Lt. Demetrius Granado, who underwent surgery following his 2016 injury, claimed that a doctor’s prescription for a “medical bed or spa (that) would be of benefit to his current medical condition” helped justify the expenses, which also included $3,700 in concrete slab construction to hold the hot tub. However, the doctor testified that the purchases did not “qualify as a medical bed or medical spa,” according to the article.

The firefighter was “technically fired” for his actions — which he continues to defend — although the firing will not take effect if he does not violate the fire department’s rules for two years, the newspaper reported.