How Social Media Can Harm a Personal Injury Case

Martins Mill Legal Center services Northeast Philadelphia and focuses on Personal Injury Cases. Did you know social media can harm your personal injury case?

Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have become an important part of many people’s lives. We share photos, thoughts, and memories with family and friends. When we use social media as an outlet to vent our frustrations over private information or make certain photos public, we are jeopardizing our own privacy. This can cause complications if you are involved in a personal injury claim. Insurance adjusters and lawyers often search social media profiles to seek fraud, conflicting information and additional evidence in a case.

When a personal injury case is filed, the insurance company involved can utilize any information they can find to win their case. Posts on social media sites can be admissible in court as evidence. If you are posting information on any public site that could damage your case, be assured that someone from the opposing team will find it. If your social media account indicates that you weren’t injured as badly as you say, or if you make detrimental comments, there can be serious consequences. Even if you are badly injured and in need of compensation, watch what you post. Things can be misconstrued and taken out of context.

If you are involved in a personal injury claim, such as a car accident, avoid even mentioning it on social media. Some tips to keep in mind while your case is pending are:

Do not post details about your accident

Even if you don’t post anything, if a friend mentions you were in an accident and all of a sudden every person you know is asking if you are okay, avoid even commenting. A simple “thank you for your thoughts” would suffice. Talk to those who matter in private.

Adjust your settings on social media

Most social media accounts have privacy and security settings. It won’t protect you fully but it can limit what outsiders can see.

Reach out to friends and family

You don’t want friends or family posting anything about your accident without your approval. Reach out to them and ask them not to post anything related to your accident.

Remove past posts and photos

Removing any old photos or posts such as comments about a previous injury could be used against you and your current claim. Try and remove anything that may be held against you.

Social media is a powerful tool and it is important that you understand how information can be viewed, interpreted and taken from the opposing parties. This can have a negative impact on your pending personal injury case. People you don’t know have access to your personal and private information whether you know it or not.

Having a powerful Northeast Philadelphia attorney on your side in a personal injury case is important, especially if you’ve been injured. They should be able to tell you about the impact of social media on your case and will guide you in making the right decisions so that your case isn’t dismissed because of something found on the Internet.

Trust the team at Martins Mill Legal Center to make sure your name doesn’t get dragged through the social media mud.

Phone: 215-305-6222

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