Social media has become a part of our lives. Users have become comfortable sharing sensitive personal information, including photographs, family life, etc.
But do you know that social media posts can contradict your testimony in a personal injury claim?
The negligent party can present your social media posts before a court of law, lowering your ability to receive compensation.
Insurance companies and the negligent party can use social media posts you appear in against your testimony, resulting in an unfavorable outcome.
Therefore, be careful with what you share with others on social media.
This post explains how social media can harm your ability to receive compensation for your personal injury case.
Keep reading to find out three types of social media posts that can hurt your personal injury case.
- Posts showcasing physical activities or outings
One factor determining whether you will receive compensation in a personal injury case is how the incident affects your ability to participate in everyday activities.
For instance, you may have indicated you were hurt to the extent you cannot walk again.
A social media post of you and your friends engaging in physical activities such as sports, hiking, or even dancing at a party can contract your testimony.
Insurance companies and defense attorneys can present the social media post supporting their argument that your claim is invalid.
Avoid posting photos or videos that defense lawyers can use to challenge the seriousness of your injuries.
- Posting Specific Details About the Incident on social media
Never comment or post about the details of your personal injury case on social media. Do not mention details about circumstances leading to the injury, as it could be inconsistent with your testimony to the insurance company.
Avoid commenting about the progress of your personal injury case because defense lawyers can use your comments against you.
In addition, do not post disparaging comments about the insurance company, the negligent party, or even the defense lawyers, as such statements could reflect badly on you.
- Public Posts that Contradict Your Previous Testimony
In a personal injury case, consistency is of great importance. There are different ways you may end up contradicting your initial statement.
For example, media companies or freelance journalists may request to host you for interviews. During the interviews, you may feel overwhelmed by their comments and give statements that contract your initial testimony.
In addition, the news editor may misinterpret your explanations and write headlines that contradict your initial statement.
The insurance company and defense lawyers can pick your contradicting statements and use them to discredit your claim.
It’s best to keep off such interviews. This is because when they post on social media, they can discredit your claims in a big way.
Social media has the power to do tremendous good. However, regarding legal cases such as personal injury claims, social media posts can do more harm than good.
Here are some best practices or recommendations to keep in mind when posting on social media:
- Avoid posting on social media altogether.
- Do not delete social media posts without speaking to your attorney.
- Scrutinize new social media friend requests before conversing.
- Ask friends and family to avoid tagging or posting your photos on social media.
- Do not post about insurance claims or lawsuits involving you.
- Tighten your privacy settings on social media so that only your friends see your posts.
- Avoid concealing social media accounts.
- Talk to your attorney about social media usage and seek guidance on the type of content to post.
The best option when it comes to the use of social media is to avoid posting at all. Remember that the defense team may scrutinize your social media accounts to discredit your claims.
Thus, avoiding social media is often the best option, especially when involved with a personal injury claim.
If you must post, just be careful of the statements, as issuing contradictions can hurt the case outcome seriously. Remember to consult your attorney on social media use especially when you have an ongoing case.