If you have recently been injured in a car accident, you will want to be careful on social media until you have received all of the compensation you are owed. Ideally, you’ll want to stay off of social media entirely until any insurance matters and/or a personal injury lawsuit has been resolved.
It isn’t easy to stay off of social media, as social media platforms are useful and keep people connected. Additionally, adults in the U.S. now spend so much time on screens that logging onto social media platforms throughout the day may be a tough habit to curb or break. However, the things that you say and do on social media right now can significantly impact your ability to secure the compensation you’re owed. As a result, resisting the urge to post on social media is a good idea right now.
Why is social media activity a problem for accident victims?
Just as you likely log on to social media to see what is going on with other people, so can insurance companies and lawyers for others involved in your accident log on to social media to see what is going on with you. Even if your privacy settings are very strict, social media platforms are public and you shouldn’t assume that others can’t access your activity.
When others browse your social media posts and activity, they may interpret your words and images in ways that could hurt your case. For example, posting a picture of you playing with your dog could be used as evidence that you aren’t really injured.
It is better to be safe than sorry. Therefore, you’ll want to avoid doing anything on social media that could make it any harder to secure compensation than it already is.