Social media could hurt workers compensation claims

Social media is unavoidable today between Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Every platform offers a new way to share your experiences and inform others about what is happening in the world. Unfortunately, many people overshare online – which leads to trouble.

Depending on what you are posting, your social media has a huge impact on workers compensation claims. Eventually, it could damage any chance for monetary compensation for workplace injuries or illnesses.

Facebook posts as evidence

Social media posts are admissible into the courtrooms, if the posts are relevant to the case in question. An example for a workers compensation case is if you post a photo on Facebook about a major fall you had while at work. Since you publicly posted about the incident on social media, the post is relevant to the case.

Posts are often used as proof against false claims. An example of a false claim is if you say that you cannot walk properly after the fall, but you post a photo of you finishing a half marathon. Your post is discrediting your injury claims and helps the court side against workers compensation.

Typically, workers compensation is not about false claims; it’s about employees who need help paying their medical bills after a serious work injury. It’s still important that you avoid any major mistakes to make your compensation claims as strong as possible.

Mistakes to avoid

For workers compensation, privacy is key because attorneys and insurance agents could send friend requests to you or your immediate social circle to find more information. There are a few simple ways to protect your privacy online:

1. Do not accept friend requests from anyone you don’t know
2. Keep all your privacy settings strict to friends and family only
3. Avoid talking about the incident on social media
4. Date all your photos and posts online
5. Warn family and friends that they should also avoid talking about the injury online

It’s important to remember that anyone can see your “public” posts online and report them back to your employer – even if the post is out of context, so be aware of what you’re posting and how it can be interpreted in court. Contact a Charlotte work comp lawyer for help today.