Personal Injury Tracked by Wearable Tech
When filing a personal injury lawsuit, it’s essential to have as much documentation as possible demonstrating that your injuries are real and impactful. Generally speaking, attorneys have relied on things like photographs, medical records, eyewitnesses, police reports, and experts to fight on your behalf. Nowadays there’s another option that can be useful: wearable technology.
Examples
Wearable technology is common these days, and collects all kinds of information related to fitness, activity, and general health. A timeline of your activity and fitness level can be used to demonstrate a change following some sort of accident. Common devices include:
- Sleep trackers;
- Heart rate monitors;
- Smartwatches and rings;
- Fitness trackers.
Supporting Evidence
While it’s true that medical records will be heavily relied on to demonstrate the degree of your injuries, wearable devices can help to provide context to those records. Data provided can be one more indicator of your limitations, tolerance, progress, and general wellbeing.
A Record of Change
What kind of date could be useful in a personal injury case? Plenty!
- Evidence that you decreased your walking following an accident;
- Signs of decreased mobility;
- Indications of restless sleep, possibly due to pain;
- Verification that your resting heart rate is elevated post-accident;
- Substantiation that your activity levels increased with rehabilitative work.
Limitations
The information provided by wearable devices can provide invaluable backing to demonstrate the realities of your situation. It’s worth noting, however, that in some situations the data can be unreliable:
- You have never worn the device consistently, so determining a baseline to look at decreases in activity is not possible;
- Your settings are not incorrect;
- There have been problems with battery interruptions.
For these reasons, wearable technology can serve as an excellent backup source of information but is not generally something that can be counted on as a primary source. It can often serve to corroborate other medical records, demonstrate a reduction in physical activity, ascertain timelines related to activity, and effectively support a claim of pain, physical limitations, and general suffering.
The Future of Digital Evidence
As these devices see steady gains in sophistication, it is increasingly likely that they will have a role to play in personal injury cases. Over time, they are expected to provide AI generated injury analysis, extensive biometric data, greater integration with electronic medical accounts, and even more accurate tracking of everything from movement to sleep patterns.
Fighting for Best Outcomes
The experienced LaPlata & Waldorf personal injury attorneys at The Law Office of Hammad S. Matin, P.A. always seek the best possible outcomes for you in a personal injury lawsuit. To discuss your situation, schedule a confidential consultation today.
