What do you do if you are being followed?
A common question from clients is how to handle a situation where they are being watched. A few times a year a caller will tell me that the Government has planted a chip in their head or that Oprah watches them through the TV. That isn't what I'm talking about with this advice.
If you think you are under surveillance as part of your injury claim, you can call the local police. Surveillance isn't illegal, but most towns have a law that requires private investigators to register with the police in town before they start any activity.
More importantly, just be honest and don't give them a reason to spin videotaped evidence in a way that makes you look bad. If you tell the doctor you can't lift anything and they have you on film carrying a 50 pound bag of dog food, it doesn't look so good. In fact that can destroy your case.
This doesn't mean that you sit in your house and do nothing. Just live your life in a normal way. If you aren't lying to the doctor or insurance company then they can catch you doing whatever you are able to do and there shouldn't be any problems.
Finally, if you do know that you were under surveillance, let your lawyer know. We can usually find out what company did it and subpoena copies of the tapes from them.
We are workers' compensation attorneys that help people with Illinois work injuries anywhere in IL via our statewide network of attorneys. Contact us and we will answer your questions or find the right lawyer for your situation.
