Social media is one of the most popular things in the world, but popular things are often dangerous in a number of circumstances. One of the ways it can be troublesome is during a personal injury case where remaining private and keeping a strict narrative is more difficult than ever if you are an avid poster of content. Lots of people talk about their life openly online, with some even involving their children, but the consequences of this can be drastic and it’s not talked about enough. If you are going through a personal injury case, it is vital to learn how to handle your social media presence so that you don’t harm your claim in any way. This guide has all the best ways and reasons to do just that.
Check Your Privacy Settings
The first crucial step will be to navigate and explore your privacy settings. Every major social media platform has privacy options, and it’s time you dived into what these mean. If your posts are public, for example, they will be visible to anyone in the world, and even appear in search engines if people are looking closely enough. This means, if you happen to put a post up about a skiing holiday when you are supposed to be in bed nursing your injuries, you will get caught out pretty quickly. While it is illegal to make a false claim regardless of the circumstances, the overriding point is to protect your privacy and ensure that only the people you want to see your posts are able to interact with them online. This doesn’t take away the fact that anyone could reshare or find them if they are trying hard enough.
Don’t Flaunt an Active Social Life
Lots of people make this common mistake, but it is easy to avoid. Nobody will judge you for wanting to go out and reclaim a bit of normality after a car accident claim, apart from a claims adjuster and opposing party attorney. Sadly, things like nights out and days adventuring can and will be held against you when the time comes for determining the compensation award or litigation process. This means, if you are out and about, be mindful of what pictures you are putting online for people to see. If they are found, they might look bad and be hard to explain even if the intention was completely innocent. It doesn’t matter whether you were a pedestrian on the sidewalk or a passenger in a truck, people will be looking for you to slip up, and this is one of the biggest ways they can catch you out.
Step Around Big Emotional Outpourings
Big emotional outpourings are a fairly common thing on social media. People post for birthdays, sentimental death anniversaries, and everything in between but when it comes to a car accident, it has to be avoided. All of your words can be held against you, and when emotions are running high it is extremely difficult to regulate what you are saying. There is too much scope for making a costly mistake here.
Don’t Post About the Incident
Above all else, never, ever post about the incident. This will be really detrimental to your case because you might accidentally say the wrong thing that negates your claim, invalidates evidence, or worse. The incident should only be discussed with an attorney present at all times until the claim is over and done with. You don’t want to put anything out there that could harm your truth, after all, so why run the risk in the first place?
Remember, Anything You Post Can Be Found
It is a fairly common saying, but it is a true one nevertheless. The internet is forever. If we accept this as the truth, then it stands to reason that anything you put online can and will be found, regardless of whether you delete it in hindsight or otherwise. There are ways to retrieve lost data and attorneys will understand the need to navigate your online voice, so you never know who is watching and what they’re looking for. Don’t get caught out by deleting evidence, and try to keep in mind the permanency of it all.
Take Advice From Your Lawyer
A personal injury attorney is the best move you will make in your personal injury case. They will have exactly the right advice to help you make good decisions about your online presence, and be able to offer the legal perspective about how you handle your social media during a claim too.
What You Can Do Instead of Posting Online
What are the alternatives available to posting online in the modern world? It is such a popular thing, it’s hard to imagine doing anything else despite social media not even existing a few decades ago. It dominates everything now, and it is so accessible. However, there are a few things you can do instead.
Keep a Journal
A journal is a good idea because not only will it allow you to keep a clear document about your symptoms, but it will also enable you to get your feelings down on paper in a private arena. A journal is a personal thing, and for your eyes only, and while it doesn’t deliver the instant gratification or attention that posting online affords, it is a beautiful thing worth giving a shot at.
Find a Support Group
Support groups are a great alternative to posting online because you get to connect with real people face-to-face. It is still important to be mindful of what you actually say, but a legal and recognized group will always protect confidentiality in the same way that a therapist might if the circumstances allow it.
Finding ways to stay off social media while you are going through a personal injury case is essential. There is too much scope for attorneys and adjusters to use your online content against you, and they have every right to do so. Make sure your privacy settings are up to date, and that you never disclose accident details for people to see once the claim is up and running.
If you need advice, visit our offices at:
- Astoria – 32-72 Steinway St, Astoria, NY 11103
- Brooklyn – 7113 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11209
- Syosset – 175 Jericho Turnpike, Syosset, NY 11791
Call us now for a free consultation on (347) 472-5080.