Social media is a major part of our lives and many of us post everything from vacation photos and beautifully plated meals to our innermost thoughts and daily activities on various online platforms that encourage us to overshare. For most, this is not too much of a problem, but if you are in the middle of a personal injury case, being active on social media can detrimentally impact your case and compromise your chances at obtaining the compensation you need and deserve. It is understandable that, in this day and age, we all want to partake in this online phenomenon and share our lives with friends, family, and even acquaintances, but now is not the time to gamble with your future.
Of course, not everyone can completely refrain from using social media. If this applies to you, there are some things you should absolutely never do:
- Under no circumstances should you ever post anything about your claim or accident online, including any meetings you have with your attorney. Additionally, never post about doctor visits or interactions you might have with your insurance company. It might feel great to spill this deeply personal information during a rant, but it will come back and haunt you in the end.
- Never post any photos or videos of your injury or sustained damages. Sure, maybe showing off that crazy-looking broken bone might be tempting, but resist that urge, or share it in person with your friends. If someone tags you in a picture, make sure you untag yourself and ask that they remove the picture.
- If someone posts about your circumstances, do not reply to it. Contact the person outside of social media and let him or her know not to discuss your case.
Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind if you continue to use social media:
- While it is certainly not foolproof, you should still alter your privacy settings to ensure only your friends are able to view your posts.
- Ask your friends and family not to post anything related to your injury or general situation, including photos of your accident, injuries, videos, or even status updates. How do you think it will look if your sister posts pictures of a night out dancing with you? It might appear as though you are not as injured as you claim to be.
- Before your case goes through litigation, you might want to remove anything that might be misinterpreted. Why do this before litigation? If you do it afterward, it might look like you are trying to hide something and, in some cases, a judge might actually prevent you from making any changes to your account one the case begins.
Bowling Green Personal Injury Attorneys
At the Law Office of Pamela C. Bratcher, our Bowling Green personal injury attorney will help you seek the full financial compensation you need to move forward with your life. We understand the stress, physical pain, and trauma associated with being injured in an accident. Let us assist you through this difficult time.
Contact our office at (270) 783-8311 for a case evaluation.