Oversharing on Social Media Can Damage Your Personal Injury Claim
We have all been on some form of social media at one point and become unexpectedly bombarded with a cringeworthy personal tidbit of someone else’s life that we did not expect nor want to see. And when it comes to car accident victims, while oversharing on social media can leave a bad taste in someone else’s mouth, it is more important to understand that it can also do something far worse – damage your personal injury lawsuit.
How Common is Social Media Usage These Days?
According to research published by the Pew Research Center from a survey conducted in 2019, the share of U.S. adults who say they use certain online platforms or apps is statistically stable despite a long stretch of controversies over privacy, fake news and censorship on social media in the past year. The platform that is the most widespread continues to be Facebook which is used across a range of age groups. For example, almost 70 percent of those ages 50 to 64 and nearly half of those 65 and older self-report using Facebook while other sites such as Snapchat and Instagram are utilized in much greater numbers by younger members of our society.
What Effect Can Social Media Have on a Personal Injury Claim?
While no one wants an accident or to have to deal with the repercussions of one, a positive aspect of the law in the Sunshine State is that you may be able to recover from your own insurance company even if you can’t recover from another driver’s. However, every insurance company will likely be taking a look at any social media accounts it can access in order to try to discount your assertions and find evidence it can use against you. Even if the insurance company is the one you pay every month, you should understand that it has one primary goal – paying out the least amount possible for your injuries. Unfortunately, you can inadvertently help an insurance company work against you by posting the wrong thing on social media.
Appropriately Managing Social Media After an Accident.
- Do not post anything about the accident, your resulting injuries, medical treatment, or your current state of health. Just saying something simple like you’re, “doing well”, can later be used to refute your account of suffering injuries during that time.
- Increase your privacy settings. Immediately make private any social media account that is currently public. Additionally, pay extra attention to anyone who tries to befriend you and don’t accept any new friend requests from people you don’t know.
- Keep your lawsuit between you and your legal team. While your online network of “friends” may try to offer advice if prompted, the details of personal injury lawsuit are actually best left to an experienced legal team.
Let Us Help You Undertake the Right Actions.
Regardless of whether you are concerned about something you have posted to social media, you should almost always obtain legal help after being injured in an accident. As the South Florida car accident attorneys of Leifer & Ramirez, we are experienced in helping the victims of others’ negligence recover deserve compensation for injuries, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. We offer a compassionate legal team who will advocate for you and ensure that you obtain the maximum compensation that you are entitled to help ease some of the burden of your injuries. Do not hesitate to contact us as soon as possible in order to begin undertaking steps to preserve your rights and ensure that you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Resource:
pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/04/10/share-of-u-s-adults-using-social-media-including-facebook-is-mostly-unchanged-since-2018/
https://www.leiferlaw.com/avoiding-the-risks-of-the-rush-hour-commute/
