Following a workplace accident that resulted in an injury, the workers compensation insurance company will gather all evidence before determining whether or not they will grant you benefits. Medical records are just one form of evidence used to make this decision. However, insurance companies will utilize other methods as well to conduct a full investigation in some cases.

As the title of this article asks: Will you be followed by workers comp investigators? The answer is: it depends. We will explain further below.

If you're in the middle of a workers comp case in NJ and need legal help, the workers comp lawyers at Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law have years of experience and a winning track record in handling workers compensation cases. Let us help you get the benefits you deserve.

Do Workers Comp Insurers Hire Private Investigators?

Will you be followed by a workers' comp investigator? This is a genuine concern for many injured workers who value their privacy. However, they also worry about how it could impact their workers' comp claim. The short answer is yes, they do hire investigators to look into your claim at times.

This may be stressful to know, but if you know what to do and how the investigation fits into resolving your case, you can let go of some of that worry you are carrying.

When Does a Workers Comp Investigation Begin?

An investigator may follow or look into your claim at any point after you register a claim. If you have a substantial claim, have filed claims in the past, or the insurance company has any grounds to suspect fraud, you're more likely to be under investigation. Even if there are no warning signs in your case, investigators could still be assigned to you. They may have been hired to try to find out if your injury isn't as bad as you claim or that you are not injured at all so the company doesn't have to pay out benefits or reject the claim completely.

Investigations Into Workers' Compensation and What They Look For

When employed by insurance firms, private investigators specializing in workers' compensation will carry out various strategies to look into your case. This could include:

• Video surveillance: If investigators notice anything that could lead them to believe that you are not following your doctor's directions, they may keep an eye on your home and even take pictures and videos of you in public.
• Direct communication: You can get a call from private investigators.
• Interviews: In addition to your family and coworkers, investigators may speak with your friends and neighbors.
• Direct surveillance: You might be followed by detectives in certain situations.
• Internet surveillance: Private investigators may monitor your social media accounts and record anything you post that they may use against you. Even if your profiles are set to private, there's a chance they can access your photos, videos or information if a friend reposts it. They are also able to keep an eye on what you do online. You should proceed with caution while posting or searching anything online since you never know who might view it.

What To Do After Being Injured At Work

Following an injury at work, you should take the following precautions to make sure you get the benefits you need, especially if there is an investigation underway:

• Follow doctor's orders: If your doctor says that you shouldn't be walking or engaging in other physical activities, follow their instructions. Ask your medical specialists to identify all activities that are restricted, and make sure you are not doing anything on this list. By doing this, you reduce the possibility of problems and re-injury while also lowering the possibility of an investigation.
• Use social media responsibly: Even if you believe you are communicating privately or encrypted, refrain from sharing information about your injuries online.
• Assume that you are being monitored by an investigator: It might be safer to assume that someone is keeping an eye on your claim because there's no way of knowing if you're being investigated.

Get The Legal Help You Need From Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law

For a free consultation, call Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law. Our NJ workers comp lawyers can help you recover your losses and ensure you get your benefits.