If you’re one of the many Americans who use social media, you may not realize that what you post could come back to hurt your workers’ compensation claim. While social media can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family, it can also be used as evidence against you in a workers’ comp case.
In this blog post, you’ll learn how social media can impact your case and what you can do to protect yourself:
Beware of social media pitfalls
Workers’ compensation is a system of insurance that provides benefits to employees who are injured or become ill due to their job. Benefits can include medical expenses, income replacement, and death benefits.
If you receive an injury while on the job, workers’ comp will often provide the financial resources you need while you recover. However, if you post about your injury on social media, you could jeopardize your claim.
Insurance companies often use social media to investigate workers’ compensation claims, and if they find evidence that contradicts your claim, they may deny your benefits. For example, if you claim that your injury has left you bedridden but then post photos of yourself hiking or playing tennis, the insurance company may argue that you aren’t hurt as severely as you claim.
- You can protect yourself and your claim by remembering these five tips:
- Do not post anything about your injury or your workers’ compensation claim.
- Be cautious about friend requests and accepting invitations to join groups from people you do not know.
- Remember that anything you post on social media is public information that anyone can access.
- Be careful about what you post about your work situation.
- Don’t engage people trying to start arguments online.
If you have any problems with your workers’ comp claim, you will want to discuss your case with someone who can help you get the benefits you deserve.