Considering Posting about Your Pending Workers’ Compensation Case? Think Again! Three Major Perils of Posting about Your Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Case on Social Media
Social media has pretty much become the “public square” for news about our friends, family members, and our favorite brands, influencers, and celebrities. With the widespread and constant use of social media in Mississippi and throughout the United States on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and others, most of our interactions seem to be conducted online rather than in the real world. Accordingly, when a person feels like venting, sharing life events, or checking in with their social contacts, they usually do it in the form of a post, video, or Reel. However, not everything should be shared on social media, especially when it comes to one’s legal affairs, such as a pending Mississippi workers’ compensation case. To help Mississippi workers better be aware of the perils of posting about their workers’ compensation cases on social media, we share the following three major potential consequences of what can seem to be a harmless post.
#1. Breaching Confidentiality
One of the major potential consequences of posting about a pending Mississippi workers’ compensation case on social media is unknowingly breaching confidentiality. Sharing information about a pending legal case with third-parties can breach the attorney-client privilege, which protects communications between injured Mississippi workers and their lawyer from being revealed or discovered by the opposing party.
#2. Providing Ammunition for the Other Side
Posting on social media during a pending Mississippi workers’ compensation case can also have the unintended effect of providing ammunition to the opposing side. Even if the post is not about your workers’ compensation case per se, any posts, pictures, or videos may be discovered and used by the employer in their efforts to deny your workers’ compensation claim. In addition, any posts that conflict with your stated workplace injuries could give the appearance of a fraudulent case. Therefore, it is best to refrain from posting on social media during a pending workers’ compensation case and set your account to private. It is also a good idea to discuss the parameters of what you should and should not post in general during a pending workers’ compensation case with an experienced Mississippi workers’ compensation lawyer.
#3. Other Legal Consequences
In addition to potentially breaching attorney-client privilege, posting about a workers’ compensation case online may have the unintended consequence of having other legal ramifications. For example, if any confidentiality agreements are in place, posting online could violate these agreements. Because the legal ramifications of breaching confidentiality online could be severe, it is always best to speak with an experienced Mississippi workers’ compensation lawyer before posting anything about your Mississippi workers’ compensation case.
Help with Your Workers’ Compensation Case in Mississippi
If you are in Mississippi and you need help with your Mississippi workers’ compensation case, contact the experienced Mississippi workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe. The experienced workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe offer a free and confidential consultation to learn about your case and to see if they can help. Contact Lunsford Baskin & Priebe for your free and confidential consultation today.
