Social Media Use After Your Accident

Originally published by Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C..

As you are surely aware, the use of social media has exploded over the course of the past five to ten years.  It has become a major source of news and communication for people all across the globe.  For many, it is an easy way to share information with their loved ones, to keep up with their friends and families, and to stay plugged into news about topics they are interested in.

What you may not realize is that this information is readily available and can usually be found with a simple search.  It is difficult to remain truly anonymous in the world today.  Social media has become such an integral part of people’s daily routine and activities that many don’t stop to think who may be interested in it.  You may be surprised to find out how quickly and easily an insurance company or attorney for the adverse party in an automobile collision can find your social media platforms and begin to mine them for information.

We generally advise our clients to stay off of social media completely following their accident.  This keeps the opposing side from being able to take a peek into your personal life and trying to use your publicly posted information against you.  For example, let’s say you are in a wreck and are claiming injuries.  If you post some photographs of you posing on the beach one week later on a tropical vacation, this will be used as evidence to prove that your injuries are not that severe.  You may have been in excruciating pain right before and after the photo, but all the world will see is you smiling and enjoying life, leading a potential jury to think that your injuries aren’t as severe as they truly are.

The safest bet is to avoid posting on social media entirely.  If you truly feel the need to stay engaged, the less information that you put out into the world, the better.  If your child does well at a soccer game, that is information that likely will not harm your claim.  If you win some kind of award, that is likely an acceptable accomplishment to share.  It all depends on the circumstances and facts particular to your claim.

It is important to have an experienced attorney on your side for matters such as this.  An experienced attorney can help guide you through the process and, if you had any questions about what may or may not be appropriate to share, they can provide you feedback and let you know whether or not an action is likely to be harmful to your case.  Something that may seem harmless could easily come back later to diminish the value of your claim.

If you have been injured and have questions about your claim, feel free to contact Herrman & Herrman P.L.L.C. to discuss the matter.

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