How Social Media Can Impact Your Case

Social media platforms are everywhere. You can check the status of friends and family on Facebook, flip through photos on Instagram, watch the latest viral video trends on TikTok, and doom-scroll your favorite feeds on Reddit. Increasingly, social media platforms are how we interact with others and the world. Unfortunately, social media has its downsides. One unforeseen consequence of a constant social media presence online may be the detriment of your personal injury case.

How can social media impact your case? We explain how an active online social life could jeopardize your case after an accident.

How Attorneys and Insurance Companies Can Use Social Media Against You

One of the problems with social media is that almost anyone can find almost anything. Privacy settings are not foolproof. Many people fail to adequately protect themselves online. Why does your social media presence matter? If you seek compensation for financial losses after an accident through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit, adjusters and opposing attorneys are likely watching you.

The goal of any reasonable defense attorney or insurance adjuster is to keep payouts as low as possible. One innocent statement made online that does not align with your official claim statement or a photograph of you smiling, looking remarkably uninjured, is all it takes to ruin your credibility and, potentially, your case.

Tips on Handling Social Media During a Personal Injury Case

The number one tip on handling social media during a personal injury case is to avoid it at all costs. Now is the perfect time to go on a social media diet and avoid posting information and photographs until your attorney resolves your claim.

If you can’t live without social media, consider following these tips:

• Double-check your privacy settings.
• Do not accept any new friend requests.
• Never post information about the accident online.
• Never post photographs from the accident online.
• Avoid posting pictures of yourself or your injuries.
• If you make a mistake and post something about the accident online, do not delete or destroy the evidence.
• Do not talk about anything your lawyer has discussed with you.

Can Social Media Affect the Outcome of Your Case?

Yes. Your social media presence can potentially impact the outcome of your case. Suppose there are dramatic differences between the story you tell an insurance adjuster and the story you share online about the circumstances of the accident. In that case, you may be considered unreliable and untrustworthy. An adjuster could use the evidence you provide online to diminish the value of your compensation or outright deny your claim. The same holds for personal injury lawsuits. Juries may be able to review evidence on your social media pages and rule against you.

Even making jokes about the incident can ruin your case. Interpreting the written word is challenging without the presence of context clues. Seemingly innocent statements can be misinterpreted and jeopardize your claim.

Contact a Knowledgeable Personal Injury Attorney for Help Today

Discuss your situation with an experienced New York personal injury lawyer at David Resnick & Associates, P.C. to get the help you need to recover the money you deserve.

Contact our New York office today for a free consultation.

Author: David Resnick

Founder of David Resnick & Associates, P.C., a New York personal injury law firm in charge of providing exceptional and personal service to each of our clients in various areas including car accidents, slip and fall, wrongful death, construction accidents, and premises liability. David Resnick founded the firm in 1998 after working in large law firms where he saw a need for greater client communication and more personal care.