A back injury can force you to stop working and focus on recovering instead. As you heal from the accident, you have days when you feel strong enough to pick up a gallon of milk or carry heavy groceries. While you are trying to reclaim your life, an insurance adjuster might be watching your actions. They can turn one significant moment of progress into a denial.
Understanding the tactics that insurance adjusters use is key to protecting your workers’ compensation claim.
Physical surveillance
In Iowa, insurance companies can hire private investigators (PIs) to gather evidence and look for any physical act that contradicts your doctor’s restrictions.
If your doctor prohibits you from lifting objects weighing over 10 pounds, an investigator can film you carrying two heavy grocery bags. Despite feeling terrible pain in your lower back, the investigator can use this footage to deny your workers’ comp claim.
Social media observation
Investigators can also scour your social media to monitor your activities. The courts allow adjusters to use online posts as evidence to undermine your credibility, provided they are related to the issue at hand. A random photo of you on vacation with friends can be used to argue that your back injury is not as severe as you claim.
Protect your claim from the lens
The best way to fight back is to assume you are always under surveillance. Follow your doctor’s restrictions strictly, even if you have days when you feel a bit better than usual. Additionally, avoid deleting your activities online because the courts may flag this as spoliation of evidence.
If an insurance adjuster confronts you with surveillance footage, understand that you need assistance. Seeking legal counsel can provide actionable steps tailored to your situation.
