Can Social Media Use Affect My Delaware Worker’s Compensation Claim?

The workers’ compensation attorneys at Silverman, McDonald & Friedman fight for employees and workers throughout Delaware. We work with clients out of our Newark, Seaford, Wilmington, and Newark offices.

Many of us are active on social media, regardless of our location, age, or job. Sharing updates on our lives and our families is a great way to connect with each other. Social media in the workplace is common as well, but when you’re in the middle of a workers’ compensation claim, your actions online can greatly impact the success or failure of your case.

With the use of social media like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat more popular than ever, it’s also more important than ever to use restraint if you have a workers’ compensation claim. As you know, workers’ comp is insurance benefits your company provides if you’re injured on the job. Workers’ compensation benefits are meant to pay your medical expenses and help with lost wages while you’re unable to work due to your medical condition.

Workers’ compensation fraud is said to be the fastest-growing segment of insurance fraud in the United States. This means that many employers are wary of fraudulent claims, and are always on the lookout for fraud – attempting to determine if an employee is lying about or exaggerating their condition so they can collect a paycheck.

Most claims are totally legitimate, so you likely don’t have anything to worry about. But in order to strengthen and bolster your claim, you should avoid certain behaviors on social media. We recommend the following guidelines when using social media during a workers’ comp or personal injury claim:

• Don’t post about trips, vacations, or activities that look like your recovery time is being used for fun
• Don’t post anything negative about your employer or insurance company
• Don’t brag about what kind of financial compensation or benefits you may collect
• Don’t make light of your injuries or make them seem less serious than they are
• Avoid photos or posts showing you performing tasks or work that make it appear your injuries aren’t as serious as claimed
• Tighten your security settings to “private” or friends and family only

Also, keep in mind that even if your account is secure and private, the insurance company or your employer might be granted access by the court. Sometimes deleting an account entirely can be construed as an attempt to hide evidence, so if you have questions about what to do with your social media accounts, our workers’ comp lawyers can provide guidance.

Remember, even though social media might be a big part of your life right now, it’s not worth losing your valuable benefits over. Sometimes your friends and family aren’t the only ones peeking into your life. Our attorneys can help ensure you get the benefits to which you’re entitled.

Note: The Delaware Courts continue to remain closed to the public until May 14, 2020, but don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns.

At Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, our Delaware workers’ compensation attorneys fight for the rights of workers across the state. Call us at 302-888-2900 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We have offices in Wilmington, Newark, Seaford, and Newark.

Related:

• Could Layoffs and Remote Work Make You More Susceptible to Injury?
• Can You Use PTO if You’re Collecting Workers’ Comp in Delaware?