According to Pew Research, about seven in ten Americans say they use social media, which is a staggering number that can have many implications throughout our lives. Social media often involves the sharing of seemingly innocuous information about yourself, only for that information to be possibly used against you somewhere down the road.
For example, a casual comment you make on a social media platform such as Facebook or Instagram can come back to haunt you in a big way, especially if the comment is about something that happened to you for which you are suing or negotiating for personal injury compensation.
Your social media tweets, comments, posts, and pictures can make a big difference in the compensation you receive. It does not matter how much you think you have protected your data because there are investigators who find and easily access that information. The information they dig up on you is then used to make it more difficult or impossible to succeed in your personal injury case.
The best thing you can do is seek advice from a Nashville personal injury lawyer regarding what you should and should not do during your claim.
What To Do with Social Media If Pursuing a Personal Injury Case
The best thing to do is to simply not post anything at all on social media and try to keep off of social media until at least after settlement has been reached in your case or after trial (if no settlement is reached).
If you must post on social media, then keep this in mind:
1.Emotions. Do not make any statement or say anything that reveals how you feel about the accident. For example, no matter how angry, sad, or guilty you feel about the accident or the overall circumstances, keep those emotions to yourself.
2.Updates. Resist the temptation to post things that, for example, show what a wonderful day you had with your family at the park when you are supposed to be in pain—and this is true even if you, in fact, did try to have some semblance of a normal weekend despite the pain. This only hurts your claim.
3.Other Unhelpful Posts: It may be the case that you think tearing down the liable party or engaging in angry rants would serve some purpose, but doing so can often have the exact opposite impact. Those same photos and angry rants might be used by the other side (the person or entity you are suing) to show that you are a vindictive person out for revenge rather than seeking compensation for genuine injuries.
- Discussion of Facts: Do not discuss anything to do with facts or information related to your accident. This includes not sharing pictures of the accident or videos of your treatment or health condition due to the injuries you sustained.
Speak with a Nashville Personal Injury Lawyer Today
If you have been injured in an accident, the right thing to do is get in touch with a Nashville personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. AtBednarz Law, our attorneys have the experience and skill to get you the compensation you deserve. Contact Bednarz Law us today for a free consultation.
