Social media is very popular. However, it has also become one of the go-to resources for insurance adjusters and lawyers to investigate a personal injury claim. If you are planning on filing a claim or lawsuit, and have been posting updates about your accident on social media, it may be in your best interest to discontinue doing so. Our personal injury lawyers know of several cases that encountered enormous hurdles to overcome because the injured party had been posting things about their case. Realistically, if you can avoid social media for the time being, you may want to do so.
Using Social Media During a Personal Injury Claim Process
Most people use a social media platform. Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, and Twitter are great sites to keep in touch with friends and family, keep up with events, and share recent photos. Social media allows users to post enormous amounts of information about where they are, what they are doing, and what they are feeling in just one click or tap. As nice as this feature might be, it makes it very easy to inadvertently post something that actually causes challenges in the future. This is all too common for people who are trying to recover damages in a personal injury claim.
Can’t I Just Make My Page Private?
As a personal injury lawyer, many clients feel the need to use social media and believe they can make their page a “friends” only page. At first thought, this might make some sense. However, insurance adjusters are very clever. There are known cases in which the adjustor reached out to friends and followers and asked them for voluntary information. Other times, they may have created fake accounts to follow you. Finally, some states have rules of discovery that require the plaintiff to disclose any social media records to the defending party – even when the account is private.
Final Tips to Be Aware Of
Whether you are exploring your legal options or are on your way to filing a personal injury claim, consider the following:
If you must use your social media accounts, limit liking, commenting on, or sharing other posts.
Search for your name or handle to see whether or not other users are talking about you.
Ask people connected to you to avoid talking about the accident or your case.
Think twice before you post images of your or your family engaging in any sort of activities.
Avoid making comments that could be considered slanderous, defamatory, discriminatory, or taking blame.
Speak with the Right Personal Injury Lawyer
In truth, taking a break from social media might be the best thing you can do for your personal injury claim. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, experienced personal injury lawyer who can help you to learn more about what you should and should not do during the process, call call and attorney, like a personal injury lawyer in St. Paul, MN, today.
Thank you to JOHNSTON | MARTINEAU PLLP for their insight into hiring an attorney after an injury.