When you are injured in a car accident, you likely want to do everything you can to receive compensation for injuries and damage. By working with a quality personal injury lawyer, you can make your case as effective as possible. But there are actions and behaviors that could actually hurt your case outside of the courtroom or legal office.
Posting on social media is one of these behaviors.
If you are not careful, a simple status update could turn your entire case around. This is why it’s important to stay aware of the risks that social networks pose.
What you post is public…
So, what you post can be used as evidence by the defendant’s lawyer. Especially in the days following your accident, it can be tempting to share information on social media as an emotional release. After all, you want support. Unfortunately, this can come back to harm your case when you share too much information or information that could be misinterpreted.
How can social media harm my case?
The following are some specific ways that social media posts could potentially hurt your auto accident case.
- Contradictory Information: If any photo of your car damage or narrative of what happened in your accident contradicts your actual court statement, your statement could be seen as false.
- Harsh Messages: It’s normal to feel angry after an accident, but it’s best not to post these thoughts online. Anything you say about the opposing party while emotionally fueled might not line up with reality or could be seen as harmful.
- Misleading Photos: Photos that suggest your injuries are not as severe as you say they are could hurt your case. For example, a photo of you on a hike could contradict medical records that you hurt your leg in the accident.
- Correlation of Events: The defendants lawyer could draw lines between events that are unrelated in reality. For example, if you were having a glass of wine with friends before the accident and posted a photo, this could suggest that you were drinking and driving — even if you were not. Someone is injured in a drunk driving crash every two minutes, so personal injury lawyers take this seriously.
Remember: The best way to protect yourself during your accident case is to listen to your personal injury lawyer and take their advice seriously. If you are concerned about your social media activity, or your lawyer expresses concern, it may be best to log out until after your case. This way, you lower your chances of tainting your case.