How Social Media Can Impact Your Personal Injury Case

Posting on social media has become almost second nature to some people. Commonly used across different platforms, social media is a great way to share moments of your life with friends, family, and even strangers. While most people post with harmless intentions, if you are in the middle of pursuing a Personal Injury case, posting the details of your life can accidentally discredit your claim for compensation. Opposing parties, such as insurance companies and defense attorneys, search for ways to downplay situations and challenge claims in order to prevent admitting fault. One of the easiest ways for opposing parties to find evidence is from searching through your social media posts.

Social Media Damage

If you are pursuing a Personal Injury case, it is crucial that you are mindful of what you are posting online or being tagged in on your social media accounts. For example, if your claim is due to a leg injury and you post a photograph of you on a hike, that post can be perceived by others that your injury is not as significant as you claim.

What you say in a status update or caption can also harm your case. For example, if you write about how great you feel, the opposing party can argue that you have recovered from your injury. Even things that your family and friends post on social media can also harm your Personal Injury case. If a family member or friend tags your account in a post or comment, the content can be accessed by the opposing party. For example, even if you did not personally post anything about going on the hike, being tagged in a family member or friend’s post about the hike can be used against you.

Protect Yourself From Harming Your Injury Claim

The best way to protect yourself is to prevent posting on social media before the case is resolved. This is the best way to prevent the opposing party from finding evidence that could discredit your injury claim. If you have any public social media accounts, set them to private. Having a private account will limit who can view your account and posts.

Tell your friends and family to be mindful of the situation and to not tag your account in any posts or comments about activities. Finally, avoid talking about the case online because posting about the progress of the case or how you feel can raise questions.

Talk with an Attorney About How Posting on Social Media Could Harm Your Personal Injury Case

Posting on social media may seem harmless and fun in the moment, but it is important to recognize that your social media activity can lead to consequences that impact your Personal Injury claim. At Jan Dils, we understand how easily a post can be misconstrued and used against you by opposing parties. That is why having an experienced Personal Injury lawyer through this process is important, not just for the handling of your claim, but also to protect you from common mistakes that can have negative repercussions. Contact us today for a free consultation if you are pursuing a claim.