English 
Spanish If you get hurt at work or become seriously ill because of your workplace environment, you can apply for workers’ compensation benefits. From there, your case will be assigned to an adjuster who will look into every aspect of your case. Their investigation can even involve viewing your social media platforms to get a glimpse of any photos you post and remarks you make about your workplace accident or illness.
Rather than preparing and filing your claim on your own, consider hiring a workers’ comp lawyer in your area. They will explain how social media impacts your workers’ comp case and how the adjuster could use whatever they pull from your social media platforms to invalidate and deny your claim.
Understanding How Social Media Impacts Your Workers’ Comp Claim
Your social media posts are public, and your employer, their insurance company, and their adjuster can view them. No one can stop you from posting anything you wish on social media. Be careful about doing so, though, if you claim to have been injured at work. Social media posts and remarks could negatively impact:
- Your right to obtain workers’ comp benefits
- Your right to keep previously awarded benefits
If a workers’ comp lawyer takes your case, they will advise you on your social media posts and all other aspects of your case. Do not undervalue or dismiss the social media impact on your case. Follow your workers’ comp attorney’s advice and limit your postings and interactions with others.
What You Need to Know About the Role of a Workers’ Comp Adjuster
The adjuster who handles your claim is tasked with investigating your accident, verifying your injuries, and documenting their extent and the toll they have taken on your ability to work. To do so, they will:
- Review your medical records
- Speak with your coworkers
- Take or obtain video surveillance
- Look through your social media postings and interactions
This information helps the insurance adjuster determine whether your claim is valid and how long you should receive financial compensation.
Can Social Media Affect Your Workers’ Comp Claims If You Already Receive Benefits?
Absolutely. If you claim an injury that can be disprove by your social media postings, your benefits could be terminated. It can also affect any appeal you might file. The best way to understand the far-reaching effects of your social media platforms is to work with a worker’s comp attorney who can help you understand all of its pros and cons.
Know What Not to Post on Your Social Media Channels
Filing for workers’ comp’s medical and income loss benefits means you claim to be so hurt that you cannot return to work. Social media posts that contradict this could damage your case and prevent you from getting benefits. Damaging posts can include:
- Photos and videos of you enjoying physical activities
- Check-ins at active venues like bowling alleys or gym
Remarks you make on your page or in response to someone else’s posts on their page can also hinder your claim. For example, if you reply to a friend’s birthday message stating how much fun you had at a recent party, that could be seen as an indicator that you are not as injured or ill as you allege.
It is a good idea to avoid any such damaging posts until your case is resolved and you have discussed it with a member of your legal team. Anything you do post could later be misconstrued and used to discredit your request for benefits.
Be Careful About Social Media Tags
If you are tagged in other people’s social posts, those can come to the attention of the investigators. It can harm the validity of your ill or injured status if you claim to be unable to work but:
- Friends tag you in posts engaging in strenuous activities
- Friends tag you in posts congratulating you on a speedy recovery
In addition to guarding what you post on your social media, ask friends and family to exercise caution as well. You may also want to UN-tag yourself from other people’s posts. Consider avoiding accepting new and unfamiliar friend requests, too.
Connect With KJT Law Group for Help With Your Workers’ Comp Case Today
If you were hurt at work and have or will file a claim for workers’ comp benefits, you need to understand how social media can impact your case. What you say and the photos and activities you share online matter.
Find out what our workers’ comp lawyer says about managing your social channels while your claim is pending. Get started today by contacting our KJT Law Group team members at (818) 507-8525 for your free case review. You won’t pay a single cent unless we recover workers’ compensation benefits for you.
