Understanding the Dangers of Social Media in Workers’ Comp Cases
Social media has become an everyday aspect of most people’s lives, so it can be difficult not to share what is going on in your life with your friends and family. That said, people who have active workers' compensation cases will want to avoid posting anything about their activities on social media because there can be enormous drawbacks to posting certain kinds of information on these websites.
While social media is still a relatively new phenomenon, it is being quickly understood to have relatively permanent effects in various kinds of court cases. Insurance companies and lawyers alike will often go through the social media accounts of parties to lawsuits and other court cases to try and uncover any evidence that might help their own case.
How Social Media Might Be Used Against You
When you have filed a workers' compensation claim, you need to remember that an insurance company is always going to be seeking reasons to declare that your injuries are not as serious as you claim. Certain kinds of social media posts can effectively make this point for them.
The first thing people should remember is never to discuss their workers' compensation cases on social media. This is always a bad idea, and certain statements you make can most certainly be used against you when they do not reflect well upon you.
Do not discuss how your injury is affecting you, because even statements you believe demonstrate the difficulty you are dealing with may be twisted by an insurer and used to prove a completely different point. The bottom line remains that any kind of comment about your case is off-limits.
You should also be extremely cautious about sharing any images showing you engaged in extracurricular activities that may harm your injury claim. When you are claiming that a back injury is causing you to miss work, you should not be posting photos showing you participating in physical activities like sports. These photos may be used to argue that your back is not presenting as many troubles as you are claiming.
Finally, try to ensure that your friends are not tagging you in photos or other material that could also harm your case. Make sure these posts are not connected to your account.
Call Us Today to Speak with a Kane County Workers' Compensation Lawyer
Did you need help filing for workers' compensation in Illinois? The Aurora workers' compensation attorneys at Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C. help people navigate complex requirements with workers' compensation cases all of the time.
Our firm knows how difficult it is for people to return to work after serious injuries, and we fight to ensure that your rights are protected throughout the claims process. You can call 630-907-0909 or contact us online to receive a free consultation with our Aurora workers' compensation lawyer.
Sources:
https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2430&ChapterID=68
