Social Media Can Have A Negative Impact On The Outcome Of Your Personal Injury Claim
Brian O Sutter
Personal Injury
Do you remember the days when you actually had to pick up the phone and dial a number to call and find out what someone was up to? Everything is so readily available to us now, usually with the swipe of one finger, that we take it for granted. Social media is a part of all of our lives now, in one way or another, whether we like it or not. Investigators often turn to these types of platforms in an attempt to weed out fraudulent claims.Attorneys can use your posts as evidence to prove that your injury is not as significant as you might claim it to be. Obviously, if you have a broken leg that requires crutches, a video of you running and jumping, is not likely to look good in your favor. Seeking emotional damage because you are deeply traumatized may not sit well if posts of you smiling, laughing, and partying with friends are present.
Things Not To Do With Social Media If You Have An Ongoing Personal Injury Claim
Never post something sporadically. This is a good idea whether you have a personal injury claim or not. Double checking the items that you post will ensure that you have not posted anything that will offend anyone, and it gives you the opportunity to look over items to make sure they won’t have an impact on your case. If you have paid attention to sports figures posts, they may post something only to quickly delete it. Although you delete the post, there is a chance that it is still out there lurking somewhere in cyberspace just waiting to reek havoc. Always overlook what you are going to post, and do not get too trigger happy.
Do not post pictures and videos of you doing something that can affect your claim. Like in the example above, if you are truly injured and in pain, defense attorneys do not want to see videos of you climbing a rock wall or riding a bull. A picture is worth a thousand words, and in this case, it could have a negative impact on the compensation that you deserve. We are not telling you to not use social media, but rather, just to be mindful about the types of items that you post.
Avoid talking about your claim completely to anyone other than your attorney. Posting comments on another person’s wall or timeline can be fun, but be careful with the words that you choose to use when doing so. Talking about money, or about matters pertaining to your injury, can not only rub people the wrong way, but it can also turn around to bite you in the end. There is plenty of things that you can talk about that do not involve your case, and if you must talk to someone about it, do so in private.
Don’t Let Social Media Impact Your Personal Injury Claim
We can guide you through the entire personal injury process. As our client, you will always get our undivided attention. Our experienced staff can lead you in the right direction about what to post, and what not to. Avoid doing certain things on social media while you have an ongoing personal injury claim to get the compensation you deserve.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and a variety of other options are available to you. These items are fine to use and do not pose a problem, unless you post something that is harmful to your claim. Be careful when you have a personal injury claim, and always assume that someone is watching you. This will help you always be aware of your surroundings and hopefully not do something foolish.