Social media has become such an everyday part of life that even after a serious car accident, you still may be active on various platforms. However, if you are pursuing damages for your injuries, you may want to think twice about using social media.
Defendants in injury lawsuits, such as insurance companies, are known to peruse social media accounts of those injured. While recent stories show how this has worked successfully for insurance companies in some cases, those with serious, debilitating injuries should take note of some social media tips.
How social media can complicate your personal injury claim
Social media use can quickly undermine a personal injury claim, resulting in potentially less compensation for the injuries you suffered. For example, a tweet about the car accident you were in could unintentionally diminish the severity of your injuries. Photos of you working out, on vacation or even enjoying time with family and friends could compromise how badly hurt you really were.
What you can do
Throughout your personal injury claim, consider:
- Updating your privacy settings. The strictest privacy settings may not stop the defense from viewing your activity. In any case, routinely checking your settings is still wise. Consider changing your settings so that you must approve any tagged photos or updates before they are posted.
- Thinking twice before you post. Insurance companies will look for any signs of fraud. If you do wish to post something, think very critically about how it could look in the eyes of the defense.
- Avoiding mention of your claim. Any mention of your accident, injuries or ongoing lawsuit could be used against you. While it may be tempting to update your family and friends, refrain from doing so in any online setting.
- Deactivating or deleting your accounts. Taking such drastic action might seem unnecessary. However, if you want to eliminate the potential for trouble, deactivating or deleting your accounts temporarily could be worthwhile.
If you did unintentionally post anything that could relate in some way to your accident, refrain from deleting or removing it from your page. This could look suspicious if the insurance company already discovered it.
By taking steps to avoid potentially harmful social media activity, you can actively strengthen your claim and avoid taking anything away from the serious injuries you suffered.