Unfortunately, many insurance companies treat workers’ compensation claims as scams. Prosecutors in California recently indicted eight individuals for carrying out a workers’ comp-based scam where the people defrauded the system for over $120 million.
Insurance adjusters will look for any excuse to not pay you as much as you should receive to recover from your work-related injuries. Therefore, you need to exercise caution when it comes to what you post on social media. Facebook and Instagram may work to your detriment. When it comes to these claims, the less you post, the better.
How social media can work against you
You can be certain the insurance company will take a look at your social media pages throughout the claims process. The team wants to see if you actually suffered injuries as bad as you said. For example, you may post a status saying you feel much better a few days after your accident. The insurance company could use this as evidence to suggest you have recovered faster than you claimed, even though you only posted the status to relieve friends and family.
You also need to be careful about pictures. As part of the recovery process, you may need to avoid strenuous physical activities or alcohol. Later, you post a picture of yourself holding a beer at a party. The insurance company could use this to suggest you have not taken the doctor’s recommendations seriously. It is best to post as little as possible.
How you need to treat social media
You want to avoid deleting anything you already posted. This makes you come across as untrustworthy. The best course of action is to avoid posting anything in the first place.
You do not want to discuss anything related to the claims process or your injuries. If people ask over Facebook how you have recovered, then you should respond to the message privately. You need to make sure family and friends do not tag you in anything during this time.
