Did you know that during a lawsuit, you may be required to hand over access to your preferred social media site? If those files are determined to be of interest to the court, they will be used. Similar to files on a computer, electronic files of a personal nature may reveal your mindset, finances, and/or health. That information can affect a jury’s decision, as a personal injury attorney will tell you.
The numbers on workplace injuries.
In 2013, there were a documented 3,007,300 cases of workplace injuries. Approximately 917,100 of those cases required the worker to take some time off work to recuperate. Of that number, about 229,190 cases were the result of slips, trips, and falls. It may seem straightforward as a workers compensation claim for missed work, but possible remarks made on social media could damage workers compensation settlements.
That may seem a far-fetched possibility, but consider your own social media news feed. It is likely you frequently read updates from friends and family on what is going on in their life. Bad news seems to be particularly well advertised to whomever can offer condolences. But there are also those who try to put on a brave face and reassure everyone that “everything will be fine.” That information can be turned around by a skilled injury attorney.
What you say can be used against you.
There is a false sense of privacy on the internet, especially after the “privacy” box is checked. Making a short post about a workplace injury may seem innocuous. But what if that little posting said how “fine” you feel after seeing the doctor, or that you will “make a full recovery?” Hopeful and humble posts like this are common on social media, and they can be used against you during personal injury cases, as top law firms will tell you.
A prosecutor (maybe an injury attorney themselves) may ask while you are under oath, why you felt fine immediately after being injured but could not return to work. Or, if your claim is that you are still feeling lasting distress. Even mentioning physical activities you may have participated in after the injury took place could be damaging, as the possibility of the injury having been aggravated further may come into question.
Halt all your updates.
Do yourself a favor when an accident happens at work. Pause all social media interaction until you speak to a personal injury attorney. They can better advise you on what may benefit and what may damage your case. This is not to say that your social media account will definitely be pilfered, but it is a possibility you need to be made aware. More on this.