If you suffered an injury in a car crash, you are likely dealing with a myriad of complicated issues in the crash aftermath. Whether you suffered a relatively minor injury or something catastrophic, you are facing the obvious difficulties surrounding your injury resulting from the motor vehicle accident. In addition, there are many other factors you must face, including medical bills, dealing with insurance companies, and quite possibly legal issues in trying to seek out the compensation you deserve.
Within this complicated time, it is crucial that you pay special attention to your posts and sharing on social media so you do not inadvertently harm your chances to pursue adequate compensation for your injuries. Many people do not understand how the use of social media can negatively affect a potential lawsuit.
Your social media feed and public record
The first thing you should be aware of if you may be heading to court to seek damages related to an injury in a car crash is that the courts can consider your posts on social media to be public record. While your private messages are not admissible or accessible without a warrant, anything you post publicly on your social media pages, or photos and posts that other people publish about you online, may come back to bite you in court. It may be a wise idea to suspend your social media accounts following your car accident so you can prevent any possible harmful posts from going public and being used against you. However, you should consult with your attorney for specific advice.
Ways social media may be used against you
One common way that the court uses social media against you in personal injury cases is by using your social media posts and photos to show that your injuries or claims are not as severe as you are making them out to be. Insurance adjusters and defense attorneys will be looking for ways to contradict your claim. If you post photos that show you participating in activities that your injury should not theoretically allow you to be participating in, these could hinder your claim.
The best way to understand how to handle your social media accounts following a car accident and during a personal injury claim is to speak with a personal injury attorney. A qualified lawyer can advise you on how to proceed so you can protect your rights.
