How Fitness Trackers are Being Used in the Courtroom
Author: Auger Law | April 13th, 2016
It’s easy to argue in a personal injury case. After all, who is to say the person was really injured? How do you prove that someone who was hurt is deserving of compensation for their medical bills? Until recently, legal experts, including almost any personal injury lawyer in North Carolina, relied on the experience and expert testimony of doctors.
Today’s modern technology is making an appearance in personal injury cases. A law firm in Calgary put technology on the stand, so-to-speak, in 2014 by using data from a Fitbit to show how an accident affected their client. But how?
According to what is known, a woman was injured in a car accident four years ago. Fitbits weren’t available then, but she was a personal trainer at the time. Her lawyers plan to use information from the Fitbit the woman purchased after the accident to show how her activity levels have declined. They plan to prove that her activity level is lower than that of someone of her similar age and profession.
The Fitbit itself didn’t take the stand, but the data from it was used as testimony to the woman’s decline in physical activity. The information from the fitness tracker was used to show that the accident had a very serious impact on the woman’s life. It was then up to the judge to determine if the information held enough weight to prove the woman’s case.
One thing is for certain: The use of the Fitbit’s information opened the door to using information from health trackers in court. A case presented in 2015 used information from a health tracker as well. How people prove their cases, on either side of the table, may change dramatically. Prosecutors may use the data to prove their cases, and defense attorneys may use the information to blow a plaintiff’s case out of the water.
If you have been injured in North Carolina and need an attorney, please call our office today. A member of our team will review the details of your case and offer you advice with regards to your options. Call now.
