Being Careful About Social Media During Your Injury Case
Understandably, social media can become a huge part of a personal injury lawsuit. It has become such a huge part of our everyday lives precisely because it has become a way for people to connect and stay in touch around the world.
As a result, if you are injured and pursuing a claim, you have to be extremely careful when it comes to social media, as what you post and share publicly can be used against you and have consequences for your case.
The Power of Misunderstandings
Anything posted online can be misconstrued as posts and photos can’t portray one reality that can be detrimental to an injury claim. As a result, anything that you share on social media can be used against you. For example, if you were injured in an accident, are now unable to work, and are therefore pursuing a claim against the responsible entity, posting a status update indicating that you are “working out,” even if this means you are in physical therapy, for example, which would be in accordance with your accident and injuries, can be misconstrued and used against you to indicate that you are not injured enough to recover what you need and could even result in a canceled settlement, for example.
“Private Mode”
It is also never safe to assume that a private locked down social media account means that no one can access anything or use it against you in your case. This is especially of concern, given the confusion that typically surrounds privacy settings on social media platforms.
In addition, these settings can sometimes change from day to day; for example, if Facebook or another entity changes its layout or look, this can often mean that any settings that you selected automatically revert to the company’s default settings. As a result, many users are unaware of what exact settings they currently have selected.
Posting Rules During Your Claim
As a result, when in doubt, do not post. Personal injury claims can be difficult enough without stacking the deck against you. This will help to ensure that you preserve the integrity of your claim.
In addition, is it always wise to take some time to familiarize yourself with the privacy settings, making sure that only people in your network can see anything on your social media accounts.
Also ensure that your connections are not sharing your content elsewhere and avoid adding any new connections or friends during your case, as well as posting any angry comments about the defendant.
Macon, Georgia Personal Injury Attorneys
If you or a loved one has been injured and you have questions, contact our experienced Macon personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Buzzell, Welsh & Hill today to find out how we can help.
