Numerous personal injury plaintiffs have been denied the compensation they merited due to social media posts that insurance companies used to refute their claims or undermine their credibility. Even if you believe that what you are posting is harmless, the insurance company and their attorney will continue to find a way to distort it.
How Can Social Media Damage Your Personal Injury Claim?
Any of the following kinds of online activities could jeopardize your compensation claim:
- Posting specific information about the incident or your injuries — When sharing on social media, you may inadvertently contradict statements made in your official claim. The information you post may harm your case by providing the insurance company with grounds to deny or reduce your compensation. If your case proceeds to court, posting inconsistent comments on social media may damage your credibility.
- Negative remarks about the insurance provider or opposing party — Negative comments about the person at fault for the accident or the policy company may lead the jury to believe you are seeking vengeance rather than the compensation you need to rebuild your life.
- Disclosing the full scope of your physical abilities and restrictions — Do not post pictures of yourself engaging in activities that could undermine your injury claims. An insurance company could, for instance, use a photograph of you out with friends to imply that you are not as injured as you claim.
What Not to Post on Social Media During an Accident Case?
Avoid posting the following on social media throughout your personal injury case:
- Images or films of yourself
- Location check-ins, which may indicate that you are participating in activities such as sports or exercise
- Specifics regarding the tragedy or injuries you have sustained
- Status reports on the status of your claim
- Any furious or critical remarks about the insurance provider or any responsible parties are unacceptable.
- During your personal injury claim, you should not take connection or friend requests from anybody you do not know. They could originate from an insurance agent seeking permission to view your social media timeline. Additionally, you should make your profile private.
However, this does not provide complete protection. To gain knowledge of your social media posts, insurance companies could rather forward connection requests to your friends and family.
Can a Judge Compel You to Disclose Your Social Media Activity?
If it has proof that your posts contradict your claims, the insurance company may seek a court order compelling you to turn over a copy of your social networking site chronology. Any information you share may be detrimental to your case or beneficial to the insurer or defendant.
Due to the possibility of a court ordering you to provide a copy of your social media activity, you should not remove or alter any posts from your accounts. Editing your social media accounts could be regarded as evidence of destruction.