What You Post on Social Media Can Harm Your Personal Injury Claim
Social media platforms are undeniably a major source of news, information, and entertainment these days. Astoundingly, there are close to 4.2 billion hits to social media on a monthly basis which means that almost half of the people on the planet are social media users. And on Twitter, for example, users produce over 6,000 tweets every single second. But just as social media is playing a larger role in our lives, these platforms have begun to affect personal injury claims. Regardless of the privacy settings you use, it is imperative that anyone who is in the process of pursuing a personal injury claim understands that social media accounts are not private and anything posted on social media is not confidential.
Edit Your Behavior BEFORE Your Next Post
Gone are the days when the worst thing an accident victim had to worry about in day-to-day life was an insurance investigator that could be doing video surveillance on his or her home or workplace. In the modern day and age, all adverse parties have to do is utilize social media in order to learn about the victim’s life following an injury claim. Therefore, while you may be used to starting and ending your day with a social media post, you should refrain from discussing the accident online whatsoever. In addition, understand that it is extremely simple to say something that could be interpreted as damaging to your claim even when it seemed completely neutral when you contemplated it. Think about these simple situations that can later have serious implications for your case:
- Publicly telling a well-meaning friend you are “doing well”
- Posting pictures showing you casually participating in an action that contradicts with the severity of your injuries that has been asserted by your doctors
Above all, keep in mind that the other side may be able to gain access to anything you post and use it as proof to dispute your claim to damages. Even deleting a post later doesn’t mean this evidence can’t be recovered by the right technological guru. In addition, it is impossible to predict how the courts will interpret things you post. For all of these reasons, it is best to keep off social media altogether during your recovery.
How Can I Protect Myself Online?
Once again, we reiterate that the best thing you can do is get off social media entirely. However, if you find yourself unable to do so, you should, at minimum, understand things you can do to help protect your online image during this critical time. These protective behaviors include:
- Never admit fault or say anything incriminating online
- Don’t post anything or message anyone about your personal injury case
- Ask your online friends not to tag you in posts or post photos of you
Have You Been Injured in an Accident Caused by Someone Else’s Negligence?
Whether you are concerned about your online presence or some other aspect of your personal injury claim, you should turn to a legal team you can depend on. As the experienced West Palm Beach personal injury attorneys of the Pendas Law Firm, we have helped many people who have been injured because of someone else’s negligence and you can rely on us for the help you need to succeed. Contact us for help today.
The Pendas Law Firm also represents clients in the Orlando, Ocala, Tampa, Bradenton, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Fort Myers and Daytona Beach areas.
Resource:
m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_9757926
