Celina Henry
If you have been injured on the job, you will want to file a workers compensation claim. When you do so, your employer's workers compensation insurance carrier will pay for your medical expenses and pay you for any time you were unable to work because of your injuries. Depending on the extent of your injuries, you may also be entitled to a settlement. The amount of the settlement is based on how much your future medical expenses related to the injury will be, any permanent injuries you sustained, and how your injuries have impacted your ability to perform your current job.
Once you file a claim, many workers compensation lawyers advise you to stay off of social media, or at the very least, be cautious what you are putting out there. This is because what you post on social media sites can affect your claim. Here are a few ways your use of these sites can impact your workers compensation claims.
Discrediting the Limitations Your Doctor Has Placed You Under
If you were injured on the job, your doctor may place limitations on you. This may include not lifting over a certain number of pounds, not standing for more than a certain number of minutes per hour, or not being able to engage in strenuous physical activity. If your employer is unable to accommodate these restrictions, and you can't perform your normal job because of them, the insurance company has to pay you for remaining off of work. However, while you are off of work, you may feel great one day and help your brother move. If you or your brother post about it on social media, and the insurance company sees that you are lifting when your doctor has placed a limitation on you, the insurance company may be able to discredit the limitations your doctor has placed you under. This can jeopardize your benefits.
Discrediting the Information You Provide
During the course of your workers compensation claim, a doctor will ask you specific questions about your injuries and how they impact your day-to-day life. Based on this information, a doctor will ultimately issue a final report, when you have healed, listing all of the ways your injury impedes on your ability to function as you normally have. This report is then used to determine the value of your claim when it comes time to settle. However, if you have been posting about your day-to-day activities on social media, your workers compensation adjuster may be able to discredit some of the claims you have made. This can have a negative impact on the amount your claim ultimately settles for.
Revealing Other Sources For Your Injuries
The last way the use of social media sites can affect your workers compensation claim is by helping an insurance company reveal other sources for your injuries. For example, if you are involved in a car accident and post about it on social media, your workers compensation adjuster may try to pin some responsibilities for your injuries on the accident. They can say that the accident was the cause of your injuries, if the accident occurred prior to your work-related accident, or they may try to say that the accident worsened your injuries if it happened after your work-related accident. If the accident had no effect on you, trying to prove that to the insurance company can be challenging, so it is best that you simply don't post about it.
If you have been injured on the job and file a workers compensation case, it is best to avoid using social media. It is also important to ask friends and family not to post any comments or pictures of you during this time as well. Any information posted on social media can be used by an insurance company to discredit the limitations a doctor has placed on you, discredit what you say you are experiencing and reveal other sources for your injuries. Often times, people have a good day here and there following an injury, and they may do more than they can do on bad days. However, an insurance company may not always see it this way. As such, it is important to not give an insurance company any information that can possibly jeopardize your benefits or lower your settlement amount.
For more tips and information, it is best to talk with a workers compensation lawyer, so contact a lawyer in your area today or visit websites like http://www.hardeeandhardee.com.
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