Creativity in the courtroom: Using a Fitbit to prove your case
Have you heard about the Fitbit device? If you live in California, chances are that you have. Fitbit is a line of wearable activity trackers that measure data, including the number of steps you have walked during a day.
The trackers can be great for people who are trying to lead healthier lives, but soon they could also be used in personal injury cases to show the effects an accident has had on a victim’s life.
Currently, personal injury lawyers mostly rely on testimony from the accident victim or a medical professional to prove the ways in which their client’s life has been impacted by an accident.
However, the Fitbit and other fitness trackers may be able to prove the same using actual data.
At least one firm, based in Calgary, has already given the idea a try. Back in November, Forbes reported that the firm was planning on using a Fitbit to prove that their client’s activity levels took a major hit after an accident.
The attorneys said they planned to put their client’s Fitbit data through the analytics platform Vivametrica, which compares a person’s activity data with the same data from the general public based on public research.
Although there haven’t been any updates on the case reported since then, it certainly won’t be the last time information from a wearable like a Fitbit is used in a personal injury case.
As technology continues to develop, data from wearable devices will only become more valuable to attorneys and their clients.
If you have been injured in an accident, consider asking your attorney if a wearable activity tracker could be of value in your case.