If you are like most people, looking at and posting on popular social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram is a part of your everyday life. While this can be a great way to stay in touch with friends and family in normal times, the period when you are filing and settling your workplace injury claim with your non-subscriber employer is anything but normal. You must beware of what you post on these sites until your claim is settled or you risk significantly hurting your case—and the amount of compensation you receive.
How Can Posting on Social Media Sites Hurt Your Non-Subscriber Employer Workplace Injury Case?
When your employer’s insurance company disputes your claim, you need to expect that the insurance adjuster will conduct a thorough investigation of the incident that caused your injuries, your medical records, and your actions. An important part of his investigation will be to search your social media sites at various times during your case. Here’s how this can hurt your claim:
It can raise questions about cause of injury.
While it may be convenient to update friends and family about your workplace injury on social media sites, an insurance adjuster can see what you say too. Even an innocent statement can lead to questions as to whether another incident you may mention in your post or your job caused your injury. Statements like “I’m sorry” when talking about the incident can lead to a claim that this is an admission of your fault.
Raise disputes about injuries.
Your social media postings can also raise disputes about how serious your injuries are or how they limit your activities. For example, if you post a picture of yourself at a friend’s birthday party at the pool, the adjuster could argue that you must have gone swimming, something that you may not be able to do. This is true even if you just went to the party to sit and eat.
What Should You Avoid Posting About on Your Social Media Sites?
It is most likely unrealistic to expect you to post nothing on social media sites while your claim is being settled. However, you must expect that the adjuster could spy on your sites at any time. To protect yourself, avoid posting any of the following:
- Pictures or posts about you playing sports or attending an event at a place where you cannot perform the activities, such as a swimming pool or bowling alley
- Discussing any exercises other than those prescribed by your physical therapist
- Pictures or posts about you travelling when you are supposed to be at home recovering
- Posts about you working at another job
- Photos or posts that show you lifting objects or performing activities that you claim you are too hurt to do
- Posts about the incident that caused your injuries, your injuries, or your treatments
- Posts about your claim against your employer
You also want to stop your family and friends from posting pictures of you, tagging you in a post, or talking about you while your claim is pending as their sites could be searched too. Also, be careful who you friend so as to not friend the insurance adjuster or his attorney.
Have You Been Injured At Your Texas Job And Your Employer Doesn't Provide Workers' Compensation?
If you've been injured on the job and your employer is non-subscriber you need to speak with an experienced work injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our our Colleyville office directly at 817.485.8888 to schedule your free consultation.
We help injured victims throughout Texas including Arlington, North Richland, Grapevine, Bedford, Hurst, Euless, Irving and all points in between.
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