Personal Injury and Social Media
In the internet age, people can post information and pictures of their daily lives in seconds and have a wealth of information at their fingertips. But with this freedom also comes danger. If you are involved in a personal injury lawsuit, opposing parties and counsel will find ways to take a look at your social media for things that will hurt your case. Even the most seemingly innocuous posts can be misconstrued and can damage your ability to gain full and fair compensation for your injuries. Here are ways that social media posts can harm your legal claims and steps you might need to take to prevent this from happening.
Beware Of Facebook
As one of the most popular social media websites in the world, Facebook is the home of over 1 billion users. But if you are not careful, certain posts you make on your page can be used against you. It may seem like common sense to avoid talking about legal details or anything else related to your personal injury claim, but insurance companies and opposing counsel can try to use other seemingly unrelated posts against you as well. They may try to point to a picture of you out and about or involved in some activity as evidence that you either are not injured, or are not as badly injured as you claim in your lawsuit. If you make any posts detailing the accident, they will look for any contradictions or statements that could put your legal assertions in jeopardy.
Other Websites
As any tech-savvy person will tell you, Facebook is by no means the only social media site out there. No matter the site or subject matter, an insurance adjuster or opposing attorney will use any resource they can. Foursquare users are at particular risk. Foursquare is an app that gives personalized recommendations of places to go near a user’s current location based on browsing history. From the image sites Instagram and Pinterest to Twitter and LinkedIn, you need to assume that everything is fair game. Even apps like Snapchat, which is designed to erase posts after a certain amount of time, can become problematic if you are not careful.
Social Media Tips
A good rule of thumb when it comes to social media is to remember that if you share it, assume anyone can see it. There are a few ways to help protect your information, though. Making your profiles private, limit access to who can see your posts, and keeping an eye on your notifications are good practices for any social media user, but especially for those involved in personal injury suits. Check the settings on all your profiles to make sure that your information cannot be publicly accessed. If you are unsure of how to do this, seek out the frequently asked questions page or contact support personnel for that particular website. Remember that even if you delete a post, someone may have already saved it via download or screenshot, so discretion is likely the better move. And last but not least, talk to your attorney about possible social media traps and let them help you avoid them. Better safe than sorry!
Contact A Coconut Creek Personal Injury Attorney About Your Accident Case Today!
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries in a slip and fall, car accident or motorcycle accident? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Lawlor, White & Murphey represent clients injured or killed in motor vehicle accidents and other types of accidents in Fort Lauderdale, Coconut Creek, Pembroke Pines and throughout Florida. Call 954-525-2345 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 2211 Davie Boulevard Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312, as well as offices in Pembroke Pines, Weston, Coconut Creek, Pompano Beach, and Plantation.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.