Corus – Evidence found on social media increasingly deciding factor in personal injury cases

Can your social media posts be a reliable indicator of what you are actually feeling?

After being involved in two car accidents, British Columbia resident Sarah Tambosso testified that her life had been forever altered – she was depressed, rarely ventured outside of her home, and only communicated with friends online. She told a psychiatrist that her life “sucks.”

But in March, a B.C. Supreme Court judge rejected Tambosso’s claim for hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages, calling into question her credibility after evidence was presented by the defence that included hours of video surveillance and 194 Facebook pages, from her account, that showed her drinking and river tubing with friends, taking part in costume parties, competing in a karaoke competition. The judge felt that her conduct was inconsistent with somebody suffering from psychological trauma.

Disability lawyer Sivan Tumarkin joined The Roy Green Show on the Corus Radio Network to discuss the use of social media and its impact on long term disability and personal injury claims.