Different kinds of injuries can occur in the workplace. These accidents can cost both the company and the injured employee valuable time and money. Trips, slips, and falls — along with accidents from moving machinery — are among the common types of accidents that can constitute the filing of worker compensation claims in the workplace.
The standard protocol of an injury in the workplace is to contact an attorney to determine the extent of your claim and to ensure that you are advised accordingly with matters affecting your finances and health. But you may also be tempted to post on social media to share your experience or keep loved ones updated on your progress. However, this could be detrimental for your case and could lead to ultimately sabotaging yourself. Although we rely on social media to stay connected to the people we care about, there are simply certain things we shouldn’t share. The following are the dos and don’ts of posting on social media after a workplace injury.
Do Change Your Privacy Settings
Did you know that when a personal injury suit is filed, the defendant has approximately three weeks to answer the claim? If you are going through a court proceeding for your injury, you should refrain from allowing strangers to have access to your social media profile. Changing your privacy settings can help you avoid having someone collect evidence that can be used against you during the three weeks to answer your claim.
Don’t Post Photos or Talk About the Accident
A work injury might necessitate a personal injury case in instances wherein employee compensation isn’t a suitable option. But to protect your claim, you should be careful about what you post on social media. Your statements or photos could be used against you to prove that you aren’t severely injured or to imply that you purposely injured yourself. The pictures that you may share on social media can cost you a lot in court. While you don’t have to leave social media entirely, you should be very careful about what you post. Photos that suggest your daily life hasn’t been impacted or statements that don’t align with the claim you’ve filed could derail your attempts to obtain compensation.
Do Contact Your Attorney for Advice
Whether you’re employed in the construction industry or you were injured in a corporate environment, the damages associated with these incidents can be massive. Hospital bills, lost wages, and other issues can result in monetary loss, which is why filing a claim may be necessary. But don’t use social media as a sounding board or a support group. Speaking to your attorney instead of seeking advice on social media can help you to strengthen your claim.
Don’t Post About Your Hospital Stay
Letting your family and friends know about your hospitalization offline is the best way to avoid any issues with your claim. The costs of your hospital stay are calculated as part of your compensation. According to HCUP, the average hospital stay costs a little over $10,700 in the United States. To ensure that you can claim the full amount of your medical bills, you should avoid posting about your accident — especially while you are still hospitalized or seeking any kind of medical treatment. Ultimately, most people on your friends list don’t need to know the details about your medical care.
Do a Google Search on Yourself
In 2017, approximately 8.4 million people were employed within the construction industry in the United States. By 2030, central Florida is actually projected to outpace the nation in construction jobs by about 8%. This sector is known for its job site dangers, but you may not realize that the internet is also a dangerous place. You may want to consider Googling yourself to assess whether there might be anything incriminating out there that could be used against you in court. Remember that public social media profiles will appear in Google search results — so don’t make it any easier for someone to find you.
If you feel as though you will not be able to stay away from the temptation of posting on your social media, deactivating your accounts for an interim period may be an alternative option. This isn’t a requirement that is mandated by law and keeping your account active does not contravene any state regulations. But if you know you can’t resist the allure of Facebook, you might consider taking a break for your own good. It’s important to understand the extent to how using social media to post about your injury can affect your chances of success. But if you must use your social media while you are recovering, perhaps you can use it to refer to the resources provided and share some social media dos and don’ts for workers who are recovering from a job site injury.
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