If you’re like many people, you use social media to keep in touch with family and friends, stay on top of what’s happening in the world and share important milestones and events in your life.
If you’ve been in an auto collision, however, think twice before tweeting or updating your Facebook status to talk about what happened.
You don’t want an insurance adjuster scanning your online presence for evidence to use against you. You should continue to exercise care on social media beyond the initial moments or days after your crash – at least for as long as your personal injury case is open.
Personal Injury Cases Are Evidence-Based
In a personal injury case, you generally will need medical evidence to substantiate your injuries. The heart of your case stems from proving that you suffered injuries and those injuries were the result of your car wreck.
Posting on social media can cause problems because you often leave out the bigger picture. For example, if you post, “I was in an accident, but I’m fine,” it might serve to reassure your friends and family that you’re OK. But it could give the wrong impression to claims examiners or adjusters from an insurance company looking to settle the case.
Likewise, you may have a legitimate personal injury claim because your injuries are keeping you from being able to work or do the things you enjoy.
But if you post status updates, are “tagged” in others’ updates, or appear in photos and videos doing activities your injuries seemingly should hinder, claims investigators could misinterpret those messages.
SOCIAL MEDIA ADVICE AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT
The best advice is to stop using social media entirely after a car accident.
But if it’s too hard to refrain entirely because social media is central to the way you connect with people you care about, follow these tips as you keep using your online accounts:
- Review your security settings, and make sure you only share updates with your friends.
- Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know while your case is active.
- Only post factual information about any subject.
- Don’t post anything at all about your accident or personal injury case.
- After your case, don’t brag about the amount of damages your attorney helped you recover.
WHY WORK WITH LEVINE BENJAMIN
After an automobile accident, tensions and emotions run high. You may have suffered physical and emotional injuries that seem minor but actually have long-lasting consequences. You’re also dealing with property damage to your vehicle.
Accident victims have a tendency to settle their case right away, just to put it behind them. But if you do this, it can short-change you in the long run.
Insurance companies aren’t looking out for your best interests; they generally want to pay as little as possible to make the claim go away.
When you work with a personal injury attorney at Levine Benjamin, you can rest assured that your lawyer is working hard to help you get the compensation you’re entitled to receive.
We have years of experience and have helped many auto accident victims recover damages for all types of injuries. We understand what you’re going through, and we’ll work tirelessly on your behalf.
Before you sign anything for the insurance company or provide any type of recorded or written statement, contact an experienced, knowledgeable personal injury lawyer at Levine Benjamin for a free review of your case.
