How Social Media Can Affect Your Personal Injury Case
Nowadays, social media sites have become an integral part of our lifestyles. It has become the norm to post about any event that occurs in your life and share it with your friends and family on your profiles. While there are many advantages to participating in social media, the dangers of it are often overlooked. The misuse of social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, can lead to several consequences that are not usually considered. With the new generation being so reliant on social media, it is important to educate your children on the proper use of social media as well.
You are probably familiar with more talked about dangers of social media sites, like fake profiles and private information becoming available publicly. However, there are other situations where posting on your page or not taking the necessary precautions before posting can cause further complications with other involvements you have going on; specifically if you are involved in a lawsuit.
The amount of information one can retrieve online is so abundant and easily accessible that it becomes the first place an insurance company, or anyone involved, will look when they want to investigate a case. Because they are aware of the negligence some people have when it comes to posting on social media, sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter become the first places the opposing council looks into when investigating claims made by an injured party. They are mainly looking for anything on the profiles that may invalidate the credibility of the plaintiff. For example, if you filed a claim from a car accident that caused you a severe spinal injury, the insurance adjuster representing the driver who hit you is going to look into your profiles to try to find any photos or text posts in an attempt to prove you may not be as injured as you have been leading on. Even a picture of you at the beach or a park with your kids can be used against you no matter what the circumstances may have been.
If you or a loved one is involved in a lawsuit, it is imperative that you are well informed on how to navigate your social media pages properly to avoid complications, or even having it sway in the wrong direction. It is okay to use social media, but an attorney will be sure to advise you to avoid posting anything while in the midst of a lawsuit. Be sure to check out our blog post about the proper way to avoid complications with social media and how to be cautious with your online activity. If you are ever unsure of what should and should not be posted online, do not hesitate to contact Andrew G. Rosenberg, P.A with any of your questions.