If you have recently been injured as a result of a motor vehicle accident that either wasn’t your fault or was only partially your fault, you’re likely taking steps to pursue compensation to which you’re rightfully entitled. Whether you’ve filed an insurance claim, are researching the possibility of filing a lawsuit or both, it’s important to understand that actions you take in your “everyday life” could ultimately impact your ability to obtain the compensation you’re seeking.
If the crash wasn’t your fault (or was only your fault to a minor degree) you may feel that you have nothing to hide and, therefore, that you have no need to alter your approach to your everyday life while your case remains active. Unfortunately, it just isn’t that simple.
What you post can be used against you
Many crash victims are unaware of the fact that their social media posts – regardless of the kinds of privacy settings they’ve enabled – are particularly easy for insurance companies and opposing counsel to access. Unlike email messages and texts, social media posts are public forms of expression. As a result, insurance claims adjusters and lawyers representing others in a crash-related lawsuit will likely scroll your social media activity in search of anything that they can use to undermine your claims.
Because you have nothing to hide, the idea of others scrolling your activity may not bother you. However, you’ll want to keep in mind that even innocent words and pictures can be misinterpreted or twisted. A picture celebrating a physical therapy milestone, for example, may be used as evidence that your injuries were not as severe as originally claimed.
You do not necessarily need to stay off of social media until your case is fully resolved. However, if you hope to obtain the maximum amount of compensation to which you are rightfully entitled, it’s important that you be careful when posting anything at all.